Predictable Invicta title mismatches don't help anyone

Virna Jandiroba (14-0) is still your Invicta FC Strawweight Champion, defending her strap for the first time with a second-round arm triangle choke on Janaisa Morandin. The self-proclaimed "female Demian Maia" has finished 11 of 14 victories, each by submission. #InvictaFC31 pic.twitter.com/xCl6zMmADz

— Kyle Johnson (@Maldobabo) September 2, 2018

Last night's Invicta show was OK for the most part except the matches at the top of the card were predictable mismatches. The main event had Virna Jandiroba successfully defend her Invicta Strawweight Championship over Janaisa Morandin with a second round arm triangle choke. I predicted this fight would be a mismatch a month ago. I didn't think Janaisa has beaten anyone decent enough for her to get a title shot. Invicta matchmaking history indicates that they either overrate Janaisa or it was a deliberate mismatch to make Virna look like a killer. It could be a combination of both. Virna is good enough that she doesn't need any help from dopey matchmakers. This match should never have been made. In the co-main event, Pearl Gonzalez beat Daiane Fermino by unanimous decision. This was also a predictable mismatch because Daiane was unproven outside Brazil. Her Invicta debut should not have been this high on the card. As it turned out, she wasn't any good. In this case, they are trying to build Pearl up to a Flyweight title shot which she will get in 2019. Except the competition level in her three Invicta wins has been very low. They are propping her up. The rest of the show was OK but the top of the card mismatches killed the show. In a Bantamweight bout, late replacement Lisa Spangler beat Shanna Young by split decision. It was a very close fight that could have gone either way. In a Strawweight bout, Mallory Martin beat Ashley Nichols by third round TKO. Unfortunately, Mallory missed weight. Maybe she needs to move to Flyweight. I like her. She's aggressive. In a Flyweight bout, Miranda Maverick beat Victoria Leonardo by first round armbar. Miranda lost her last fight by split decision. I think we have to see if she can beat a decent fighter. In an Atomweight bout, Kelly D'Angelo beat Lindsey VanZandt by unanimous decision. Kelly looked good dropping down from Strawweight. She is a firefighter from St. Louis and fellow Invicta fighter and St. Louis police officer Ashley Cummins suggested the drop to Atomweight. In a Strawweight bout, Kay Hansen won over Helen Peralta by third round TKO. Kay was winning anyway but it's good that she got a finish. The opening Featherweight bout was a dud. Audrey Wolfe vs Holli Salazar fought to a draw because ref Greg Franklin deducted a point from Audrey for an illegal headbutt. Neither fighter looked good. It's tough to find decent Featherweights. Invicta has already announced most of the card for their next show. I'll look at it in depth as soon as the poster is out.