Invicta FC 28 results, video: Virna Jandiroba stays perfect, claims belt

Brazilian submission specialist Virna Jandiroba (13-0) couldn’t tap out Mizuki Inoue (12-5), but she did dominate her over the course of five rounds.

Jandiroba dominated her Japanese opponent from start to finish claiming a decision win and the Invicta FC strawweight title in the main event of Saturday’s Invicta FC 28 event at Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. The card streamed live in its entirety on UFC Fight Pass.

The two fighters started the contest quickly, thought Inoue found herself on her back very early in the first. Jandiroba maintained top control for nearly the entirety of the round, with Inoue looking for options on the canvas but not finding any options. At the bell, Inoue’s left eye was visibly swollen and appeared to be quickly closing.

Jandiroba was quick to get the fight to the floor again in the second, dominating the positioning and looking for options. Inoue defended well underneath but was able to offer anything in terms of offense. Inoue did earn a restart with a little less than two minutes remaining, but Jandiroba quickly had the action back on the canvas and started her work from top position.

With her eye worsening, Inoue pushed the pace in the third, looking to strike on the feet and grab some momentum. Unfortunately for her, once she moved inside, she found herself on the ground again and underneath her opponent. Jandiroba started to open up a bit from the top, alternating moments in mount and on her opponent’s back, pounding away when possible. Jandiroba looked for an armbar as the round came to a close but couldn’t finish the hold before the bell.

Inoue remained calm in the face of adversity, showing grit as she survived her opponent’s relentless attacks, but Jandiroba again got the fight to the floor quickly in the fourth. Inoue never gave up, battling to prevent major position changed and even earning another restart late in the frame. But following a beautiful Inoue hip toss to the floor, Jandiroba quickly swept to the top again, where she finished the round.

It was more of the same in the fifth, with Inoue showing her spirit but ultimately finding herself on the bottom and losing yet another round to Jandiroba. A late flurry of submission attacks from Inoue showed her heart, but Jandiroba pulled through each attempt and again established top position, claiming Invicta’s vacant strawweight title, albeit with a surprising split decision with two scores of 49-46 and one shocking total of 46-49 in favor of Inoue.

Deanna Bennett picks up much-needed win

In the night’s co-feature, DeAnna Bennett (9-3-1) picked up her first official win since 2015 with a hard-fought and bizarrely scored split-decision win over Mexico’s Karina Rodriguez (6-3).

Bennett was aggressive from the start, looking to close the distance and work in tight. Meanwhile, Rodriguez worked hard to keep her distance, looking to utilize her boxing from the outside. More of then that not, though, it was Bennett who was able to at least work into the clinch, even if the fight didn’t hit the floor.

Bennett kept the pressure high in the second, refusing to allow Rodriguez room to set up and strike. Bennett did get one brief takedown but was unable to keep the action on the canvas. The action remained high in the third, as well, with Rodriguez occasionally working in some crisp striking but ultimately finding herself constantly pursued by the pressing Bennett.

In the end, judges turned in the rare 30-27, 27-30 and 30-27 total, giving Bennett the split-decision win, a result that was marred only by her missing weight at Friday’s official ceremony. Afterward, Bennett celebrated the win with a quick lick of the in-cage camera filming her post-fight speech.

Milana Dudieva off skid

In a flyweight matchup, Russian UFC vet Milana Dudieva (12-7) snapped a four-fight losing streak with a second-round TKO over “The Ultimate Fighter 26” cast member Christina Marks (8-10).

Marks kept her range early looking to avoid the clinch and strike from the outside, but she struggled to land any sustained combinations. Leg kicks did find their mark from time to time, but Dudieva looked content to stand and trade. The willingness paid off in the second.

With the action still moderately paced for most of the frame, Dudieva landed with a crushing right hand that sent Marks wobbling to the floor. Dudieva rushed forward and unleashed a barrage of additional punches, forcing the stoppage at the 3:57 mark of the second round.

Pearl Gonzalez kicks off post-UFC run

In her Invicta FC debut, two-time UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez (7-3) earned a decision win over a previously undefeated Kali Robbins (5-1).

While Robbins was aggressive from the start, Gonzalez dealt well with each attack and consistently scrambled to a dominant position. While she later admitted she hoped to score a knockout win, Gonzalez’s active grappling proved most valuable, seeing her through to a decision win, 30-27, 30-26 and 30-27.

Complete Invicta FC 28 results include:

• Virna Jandiroba def. Mizuki Inoue via split decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46) – to claim strawweight title
• DeAnna Bennett def. Karina Rodriguez via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
• Milana Dudieva def. Christina Marks via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:57
• Pearl Gonzalez def. Kali Robbins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
• Minna Grusander def. Fernanda Barros via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:26
• Kal Schwartz def. Kay Hansen via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:27
• Kerri Kenneson def. Chelsea Chandler via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jillian DeCoursey def. Rebekah Levine via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Tracy Cortez def. Kaytlin Neil via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For additional coverage of Invicta FC 28, check out the MMA Events section of the site.