Matches to Make after Invicta FC 40

A slow start did nothing to deter Emily Ducote.

The Bellator MMA veteran waded through some early adversity, strengthened her standing in the Invicta Fighting Championships strawweight division and took a unanimous decision from Juliana Lima in their Invicta 40 main event on Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. Ducote swept the scorecards with identical 29-28 marks from all three judges.

Lima enjoyed some success in the first round, particularly at close range. She outfitted her clinch with knees and elbows, made the most of her three-inch height advantage and held her own in space, where she tagged Ducote with jabs and occasional uppercuts. However, the approach proved unsustainable. Ducote…