Gaining revenge against an opponent who’s previously defeated you in any sporting field tastes sweet. But in the world of women’s mixed martial arts, where weight divisions are small and title opportunities frequent, revenge can prove career-defining.

So when bantamweight starlet Alexis Davis was handed the chance to rematch Shayna Baszler at Invicta 4 – an opponent who had defeated her three years prior when she stepped in as a late replacement – Davis was more than eager to turn the tables.

“We would have always come across each other during our fight career,” Davis explains. “We both fought at Invicta 2, and afterwards we all hung out and went out after the fight. 

“Originally we were supposed to have a rematch back in July, but I ended up getting a call from Strikeforce to fight Julie Kedzie. The rematch was also supposed to be at 140lb, which I didn’t want to do anyway, and when Strikeforce called you didn’t really say no.

“It was fate we’d fight each other again at some stage, and what better stage than Invicta?”

And fate was certainly on her side this time. After two rounds of outstanding striking and breathtaking submission attempts that had the Kansas City crowd on their feet, Davis took over in the third, sensing her opponent may be on her last legs.

“When Shayna slipped and hit the floor, I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got to go for the kill.’ She seemed weak on her knees when I went for her ankle in the first round, and I know her balance was a little bit off too. I was just biding my time until I could get the finish.

“When she got knocked down I told myself I was going to keep punching her in the face as hard as I could and, hopefully, get the finish.”

Once Baszler hit the ground, Davis acted accordingly, landing devastating ground strikes, but Baszler rolled to protect herself thus allowing Davis the chance to hop on her back and sink in the fight-ending rear naked choke – sending Baszler to sleep in the process. 

“Right away I could feel I was right under her chin and I remember thinking I didn’t care how tired I get I’m going to squeeze as hard as I can. She’s super tough and super stubborn, and she would rather not tap.”

With both ladies owning a victory each now, it’s hardly surprising both are calling for a rubber-match somewhere down the line. Davis adds: “We talked about it right after the fight. 

“I would gladly fight her again and, obviously, I’ve got a lot of respect for her, especially on the ground. She has a number of submission victories and so do I. If it’s an opportunity that comes up, I would take the fight."

Postscript: A third meeting is yet to happen. In a bantamweight championship fight Alexis lost to Ronda Rousey in UFC 175. Moving to flyweight she defeated Liz Carmouche in 2017, her last victory to date. She holds a 19-10 win-loss record.