Tonya Evinger Explained

Tonya Evinger
Other Names:Triple Threat[1]
Birth Date:4 June 1981
Birth Place:Moses Lake, Washington, United States
Weight:135 lb
Weight Class:Bantamweight
Featherweight
Reach:70 in[2]
Fighting Out Of:Houston,Texas
Team:Gracie Barra Champions
4 oz Fight Club[3]
Years Active:2006–present
Mma Kowin:8
Mma Subwin:7
Mma Decwin:4
Mma Koloss:2
Mma Subloss:4
Mma Decloss:2
Mma Nc:1
Sherdog:18248

Tonya Evinger (born June 4, 1981) is an American mixed martial artist. A professional mixed martial artist since 2006, Evinger has previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), EliteXC, Raging Wolf and Invicta Fighting Championships, and was the Invicta Bantamweight Champion.[4]

Early life

Evinger played football and wrestled while at Odessa High School in Odessa, Missouri.[5] She went on to wrestle and earn her degree at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri.[6] Evinger's younger twin brothers, Chris and Owen Evinger, are also professional mixed martial arts fighters.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Evinger faced Jennifer Tate at IFC: Warriors Challenge 21 on June 3, 2006, and lost via triangle choke in the second round.[7] The fight was the first women's bout ever sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.[8]

She faced Brittany Pullen at FFF 1: Asian Invasion on February 17, 2007. She won the fight via a 16-second knockout in the first round.[9]

Evinger faced Shonie Plagman at X-1: Extreme Fighting 2 on March 17, 2007. She won the fight by knockout 10 seconds into the second round.[10]

She faced Ginele Marquez at Tuff-N-Uff 2 on April 14, 2007. She won the fight by rear naked choke submission in the third round.[11]

Evinger faced Vanessa Porto at FFF 2: Girls Night Out on July 14, 2007. She lost the fight by armbar submission in the first round.[12]

EliteXC

Evinger debuted for Elite XC against Gina Carano at on September 15, 2007. She lost the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the first round.[13]

She faced Julie Kedzie at ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on January 25, 2007. She won the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the first round.[14]

Post-EliteXC

Evinger faced Alexis Davis at Raging Wolf 7: Mayhem In The Mist 3 on May 8, 2010, for the Raging Wolf Women's Flyweight Championship.[15] She lost the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the third round.[16]

Evinger faced Adrienna Jenkins in a number one contender's bout at Raging Wolf 8: Cage Supremacy on July 17, 2010.[17] She won the fight by TKO in the second round.[18]

On November 6, 2010, Evinger rematched Alexis Davis at Raging Wolf 10. She was defeated by submission due to a rear-naked choke in the first round.[19]

Evinger faced Sara McMann at Titan Fighting Championships 19 on July 29, 2011, in Kansas City, Kansas.[20] The fight served as the co-main event.[21] Evinger was defeated by unanimous decision.[22]

On September 23, 2011, Evinger stepped in on short notice to face Anita Rodriguez at XFL: Rumble on the River 5 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She defeated Rodriguez by submission due to a rear-naked choke in round one.[23]

Evinger defeated Lacie Jackson by knockout in the first round at Fight Me MMA on April 13, 2012.[24]

On November 10, 2012, Evinger made her flyweight debut against Carina Damm at Fight Hard MMA. She defeated Damm by split decision.[25]

The Ultimate Fighter

In August 2013, it was announced that Evinger was one of the fighters selected to be on .[26] In the elimination fight to get into the TUF house, Evinger faced Raquel Pennington and lost via guillotine choke submission in the second round.[27]

Invicta Fighting Championships

On December 7, 2013, Evinger faced Sarah D'Alelio at Invicta Fighting Championships 7.[28] [29] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[30]

After switching camps to Houston, Texas she joined team Gracie Barra Champions and 4 oz Fight Club, training her Boxing and Kickboxing with Aaron Pena (GBC) and MMA with Jeremy Mahon (4 oz). Evinger next fought Ediane Gomes at Invicta Fighting Championships 8 on September 6, 2014.[31] She won the fight via first round submission.[32]

Evinger next fought Cindy Dandois at Invicta Fighting Championships 10 on December 5, 2014. She won the fight via second round submission, making her the front runner to fight for the vacant Invicta FC bantamweight title.[33]

Evinger next fought Irene Aldana for the vacant Invicta FC bantamweight title at Invicta Fighting Championships 13 on July 9, 2015.[34] She dominated the fight from bell to bell, almost finishing the fight early with an arm bar. Evinger would go on to stop Aldana in the 4th round via TKO (punches), claiming the Invicta FC bantamweight title.[35]

Evinger next fought undefeated prospect, Pannie Kianzad. This was originally set as a title defense but both Evinger and Kianzad were unable to make weight, both being fined a percentage of their purse and was changed to a five-round non-title fight. Evinger ended up dispatching Kianzad in the 2nd round by TKO due to punches.[36]

Evinger next fought Colleen Schneider at Invicta Fighting Championships 17 on May 7, 2016. Evinger successfully defended her bantamweight title by unanimous decision. Following the fight, Evinger celebrated her victory by kissing interviewer Laura Sanko on the lips.[37]

Evinger would lose her bantamweight championship in an upset defeat to Russian newcomer Yana Kunitskaya by armbar submission in the first round on November 18, 2016. The loss was controversial because the referee told her to move from a legal position which may have led directly to the submission. Evinger appealed her loss and on December 1, 2016, the loss was changed to a no contest, so Evinger retained her title.[38]

Evinger faced Kunitskaya in a rematch in the main event of Invicta FC 22 on March 25, 2017. She won the fight by submission in the second round to retain her title.[39]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On June 27, 2017, it was announced that Evinger had signed with the UFC and was set to face Cris Cyborg for the vacant UFC Women's Featherweight Championship at UFC 214.[40] She lost the fight by TKO in the third round.[41]

Evinger was scheduled to face Marion Reneau at in Austin, Texas, Texas on February 18, 2018.[42] However, on January 9, 2018, she was forced to pull out fight, citing injury.[43]

Evinger was scheduled to face Ketlen Vieira on September 22, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 137.[44] However, on August 7, 2018, Vieira pulled out due to a knee injury.[45] In turn, Evinger was pulled from the card and scheduled to face Aspen Ladd two weeks later at UFC 229.[46] She lost the fight via TKO in the first round.[47]

Evinger faced Lina Länsberg on June 1, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 153.[48] She lost the fight by unanimous decision and was subsequently released from the promotion.[49]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

|Loss|align=center||Lina Länsberg|Decision (unanimous)| ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Stockholm, Sweden||-|Loss|align=center|19–7 (1)|Aspen Ladd|TKO (punches)|UFC 229 ||align=center|1|align=center|3:26|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|19–6 (1)|Cris Cyborg|TKO (knees)|UFC 214||align=center|3|align=center|1:56|Anaheim, California, United States||-| Win| align=center | 19–5 (1)| Yana Kunitskaya| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya II| | align=center | 2| align=center | 4:32| Kansas City, Missouri, United States| |-| NC| align=center | 18–5 (1)| Yana Kunitskaya| NC (overturned)| Invicta FC 20: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:59| Kansas City, Missouri, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 18–5| Colleen Schneider| Decision (unanimous)| Invicta FC 17: Evinger vs. Schneider| | align=center | 5| align=center | 5:00| Costa Mesa, California, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 17–5| Pannie Kianzad| TKO (punches)| Invicta FC 14: Evinger vs. Kianzad| | align=center | 2| align=center | 3:34| Kansas City, Missouri, United States||-| Win| align=center | 16–5| Irene Aldana| TKO (punches)| Invicta FC 13: Cyborg vs. Van Duin| | align=center | 4| align=center | 4:38| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 15–5| Cindy Dandois| Submission (armbar)| Invicta FC 10: Waterson vs. Tiburcio| | align=center | 2| align=center | 1:23| Houston, Texas, United States||-| Win| align=center | 14–5| Ediane Gomes| Submission (armbar)| Invicta FC 8: Waterson vs. Tamada| | align=center | 1| align=center | 3:31| Kansas City, Missouri, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 13–5| Sarah D'Alelio| Decision (unanimous)| Invicta FC 7: Honchak vs. Smith| | align=center | 3| align=center | 5:00| Kansas City, Missouri, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 12–5| Carina Damm| Decision (split)| Fight Hard MMA| | align=center | 3| align=center | 5:00| St. Charles, Missouri, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 11–5| Lacie Jackson| KO (punch)| Fight Me MMA| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:47| St. Charles, Missouri, United States||-| Win| align=center | 10–5| Anita Rodriguez| Submission (rear-naked choke)| XFL: Rumble on the River 5| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:57| Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States||-| Loss| align=center | 9–5| Sara McMann| Decision (unanimous)| Titan FC 19| | align=center | 3| align=center | 5:00| Kansas City, Kansas, United States||-| Loss| align=center | 9–4| Alexis Davis| Submission (rear-naked choke)| RW 10: Mayhem in the Mist 5| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:25| Niagara Falls, New York, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 9–3| Adrienna Jenkins| TKO (punches)| RW 8: Cage Supremacy| | align=center | 2| align=center | 3:16| Salamanca, New York, United States||-| Loss| align=center | 8–3| Alexis Davis| Submission (rear-naked choke)| RW 7: Mayhem in the Mist 3| | align=center | 3| align=center | 1:47| Niagara Falls, New York, United States| |-| Win| align=center | 8–2| Sarah Schneider| Decision (unanimous)| True Fight Fans| | align=center | 3| align=center | 5:00| Missouri, United States||-| Win| align=center | 7–2| Julie Kedzie| Submission (rear-naked choke)| ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:43| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States||-| Win| align=center | 6–2| Katrine Alendal| Submission (armbar)| PFP: Ring of Fire| | align=center | 1| align=center | N/A| Manila, Philippines||-| Loss| align=center | 5–2| Gina Carano| Submission (rear-naked choke)| | | align=center | 1| align=center | 2:53| Honolulu, Hawaii, United States||-| Loss| align=center | 5–1| Vanessa Porto| Submission (armbar)| FFF 2: Girls Night Out| | align=center | 1| align=center | 2:14| Compton, California, United States||-| Win| align=center | 5–0| Ginele Marquez| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Tuff-N-Uff 2| | align=center | 3| align=center | 1:58| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-| Win| align=center | 4–0| Shonie Plagmann| KO (punch)| X-1: Extreme Fighting 2| | align=center | 2| align=center | 0:10| Honolulu, Hawaii, United States||-| Win| align=center | 3–0| Angela Hayes| TKO (punches)| Kick Enterprises| | align=center | 1| align=center | 1:02| Ft. Myers, Florida, United States||-| Win| align=center | 2–0| Brittany Pullen| KO (punch)| FFF 1: Asian Invasion| | align=center | 1| align=center | 0:16| Los Angeles, California, United States||-| win| align=center | 1–0| Brittany Pullen| KO (punches)| IFC: Warriors Challenge 21| | align=center | 2| align=center | 1:56| Tuolumne, California, United States|[50]

|-| Loss| align=center | 0–1| Raquel Pennington| Submission (guillotine choke)| | | align=center | 2| align=center | | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States| Preliminary bout.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tonya Evinger Awakening Profile . Awakeningfighters.com . 2014-02-24.
  2. Web site: Tonya Evinger UFC. www.ufc.com. 14 September 2018. en. 2018-12-12.
  3. Web site: Tonya Evinger MMA Stats . 2010-08-09 . Sherdog.com . 2010-08-09.
  4. Web site: 14 Fighters No Longer Part of UFC Roster Following Cuts, Free Agency. Jay Pettry. March 19, 2020. sherdog.com.
  5. Web site: Why isn't Tonya Evinger in the UFC? MMA Junkie. 2 November 2016.
  6. Web site: WATCH OUT tap or sleep midwest is still on the rise . 2010-07-08 . YorkBlog.com . 2009-01-27.
  7. Web site: Jennifer Tate Interview . 2010-07-08 . FighterGirls.com . 2010-01-07.
  8. Web site: Sacramento IFC Card Coming Together . Sherdog.com . 2006-03-24 . 2010-03-04.
  9. Web site: Ward, Modafferi and Case Win on All-Women's Card . 2010-07-08 . Sherdog.com . 2007-02-18.
  10. Web site: Correira Loses, Vitale Wins in Front of Hawaiian Crowd . 2010-07-08 . Sherdog.com . 2007-03-18.
  11. Web site: MMA Tournament Debuts in Las Vegas . 2010-07-08 . Sherdog.com . 2007-04-15.
  12. Web site: Ward Wins While Eying Mega Megu . 2010-07-08 . Sherdog.com . 2007-07-15.
  13. Web site: Elite XC notes: Carano carries torch for sport . 2009-08-09 . Yahoo! Sports . 2007-06-16.
  14. Web site: ShoXC Play-by-Play . 2010-07-08 . Sherdog.com . 2008-01-25.
  15. Web site: Davis To Defend Against Evinger At Raging Wolf 7 . MMARising.com . 2010-04-29.
  16. Web site: Alexis Davis retains championship belt . https://archive.today/20120715164451/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Fighting/MixedMartialArts/2010/05/09/13887086.html . usurped . July 15, 2012 . 2010-05-09 . SLAM! Fighting . 2010-05-09.
  17. Web site: Jenkins Set To Face Evinger At Raging Wolf 8 . MMARising.com . 2010-07-16.
  18. Web site: Evinger Dominates Jenkins At Raging Wolf 8 . MMARising.com . 2010-07-19.
  19. Web site: Davis Submits Evinger Again, Retains Title At RW 10 . MMARising.com . 2010-11-06.
  20. Web site: Sara McMann vs Tonya Evinger Agreed For Titan FC 19 . MMARising.com . 2011-07-20 . 2011-07-22.
  21. Web site: Bobby Lashley Pulls Out of Titan Fighting Bout . MMAFighting.com . 2011-07-22 . 2011-07-22.
  22. Web site: Sara McMann Defeats Tonya Evinger In TFC 19 Co-Feature . MMARising.com . 2011-07-29 . 2011-07-29.
  23. Web site: Weekend Recap: Jessica Eye, Tonya Evinger Earn Victories . MMARising.com . 2011-09-23 . 2011-09-23.
  24. Web site: Fight Me MMA Results . Sherdog.com . 2012-04-13 . 2012-04-15.
  25. Web site: Weekend Recap: Tonya Evinger, Tamikka Brents Earn Key Wins . MMARising.com . 2012-11-11 . 2012-11-11.
  26. Web site: 'Ultimate Fighter' Season 18 cast revealed, including LaRosa, Baszler, Modafferi . MMAjunkie.com . Staff . 2013-08-15 . 2013-08-23.
  27. Web site: MMAWeekly.Com Staff . TUF 18 Elimination Full Fight Video: Raquel Pennington Vs. Tonya Evinger . mmaweekly.com . 20 February 2022 . 7 September 2013.
  28. Web site: INVICTA FC 7 COMING TO KANSAS CITY ON DECEMBER 7TH . InvictaFC.com . 2013-10-11 . 2013-10-17.
  29. Web site: Invicta FC 7 Adds Budd-Tweet, Kobold-Evinger, Holland-Ansaroff . MMARising.com . 2013-10-11 . 2013-10-17.
  30. Web site: McCarter . Nathan . Invicta FC 7: Honchak vs. Smith Live Results and Play-by-Play . bleacherreport.com . 20 February 2022 . 7 December 2013.
  31. Web site: Hammond . Mick . Tonya Evinger Heads Into Saturday's Invicta FC Bout With Ediane Gomes With A Plan In Hand . mmaweekly.com . 20 February 2022 . 2 September 2014.
  32. Web site: Sanchez . Josh . Invicta FC 8 results: Tonya Evinger dominates Ediane Gomes en route to first-round finish . fansided.com . 20 February 2022 . 6 September 2014.
  33. Web site: Nick Newell, Jake Ellenberger, Tonya Evinger, Torin Hill by MMA Roasted | Free Listening on SoundCloud . Soundcloud.com . 2015-04-29 . 2015-05-03.
  34. Web site: Chong . Abe . MMA Odds Online: Tonya Evinger and Irene Aldana to fight for vacant Invicta bantamweight title . bookmaker.eu . 28 May 2022 . 29 June 2015.
  35. Web site: Redux . Unambig . Video: New Invicta FC bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger 'pissed off' by Dana White photo . mmamania.com . 28 May 2022 . 10 July 2015.
  36. Web site: Bohn . Mike . Invicta FC 14 results: Tonya Evinger stops overweight Pannie Kianzad in headliner . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . 20 February 2022 . 13 September 2015.
  37. Web site: MMA Junkie Staff . Tonya Evinger defends 135 title vs. Colleen Schneider in Invicta FC 17 main event . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . 20 February 2022 . 31 March 2016.
  38. Web site: Critchfield . Tristen . Tonya Evinger Retains Invicta Title After Loss to Yana Kunitskaya Overturned to No-Contest . sherdog.com . 20 February 2022 . 1 December 2016.
  39. Web site: Raimondi . Marc . Invicta FC 22 results: Tonya Evinger gets revenge, submitting Yana Kunitskaya to retain title . mmafighting.com . 20 February 2022 . 25 March 2017.
  40. News: Cyborg to face Evinger as Anderson withdraws. ESPN.com. 2017-06-28.
  41. News: UFC 214 results: 'Cyborg' Justino TKOs Tonya Evinger to win women's featherweight title. 2017-07-30. MMAjunkie. 2017-07-31. en-US.
  42. News: Tonya Evinger vs. Marion Reneau Official for UFC Austin. 2017-12-26. Cageside Press. 2017-12-26. en-US.
  43. News: With Tonya Evinger out, Marion Reneau needs new opponent for UFC Fight Night 126. 2018-01-09. MMAjunkie. 2018-01-10. en-US.
  44. News: Report: Ketlen Vieira vs. Tonya Evinger targeted for UFC Fight Night: Sao Paulo. Bloody Elbow. 2018-07-29.
  45. News: Ketlen Vieira out of UFC Sao Paulo fight with Tonya Evinger, will require surgery. MMA Fighting. 2018-08-28.
  46. News: Tonya Evinger moves to UFC 229, will face undefeated Aspen Ladd. mmajunkie.com. Staff. 2018-08-29. 2018-08-29.
  47. News: UFC 229 play-by-play and live results. 2018-10-06. MMAjunkie. 2018-10-06. en-US.
  48. Web site: Tonya Evinger treft de Zweedse Lina Länsberg tijdens UFC Stockholm. DNA. MMA. 3 April 2019. en-US. 2019-04-03.
  49. Web site: UFC on ESPN+ 11 results: Lina Lansberg batters Tonya Evinger en route to wipeout on scorecards. 2019-06-01. MMA Junkie. en. 2019-06-02.
  50. Web site: Tonya. Sherdog.com. Sherdog. 2018-12-12.

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