Pearl Gonzalez (10-4) defeated Brogan Sanchez (6-1) via unanimous decision, the main event at Invicta FC 37 on Friday night, as Gonzalez seeks another shot at the flyweight title.
“This fight was so important for me for several reasons … I’ve been in this game for many years,” she said. “My team put so much work and effort into working with me and believing in me on the days I don’t – [it’s] for these babies right here.
It was so important for me to come back here and bring home a win for them. The last time they were here, I lost, and I want them to know that I’ll never give up on myself and I want them to never give up on themselves.”
The Flyweight fighting out of San Diego transitioned well from an exploding judo throw, to having her arms wrapped around Sanchez’s neck. Though, the Muay Thai practitioner quickly got up and landed a knee – blood started to drip from Gonzalez’s nose.
The first round was as close as the fight would get. Gonzalez kept Sanchez from getting any momentum in the second round. Sanchez constantly overloaded on her haymakers, though “The Chi-Town Princess” kept the distance, as she worked on timing her head kicks.
Gonzalez blazed out into the final third round, throwing a flurry of punches. Sanchez quickly clinched and pinned Gonzalez onto the cage.
Guam’s “Killer Bee” accumulated a lot of control time in the final round, but Gonzalez earned an explosive slamming two-legged takedown – perhaps won her the round.
The dominos effect of how Invicta FC’s flyweight division will shape out, starts with the title fight between Vanessa Porto versus the challenger Karina Rodriguez on November 1.