Angela Hill wins title from Livia Renata Souza at Invicta FC 17

COSTA MESA >> Angela Hill found a way to get over being cut by the UFC.

The former “The Ultimate Fighter” contestant gutted out a tough split-decision victory over Livia Renata Souza to capture the Invicta FC strawweight championship.

The judges scored it 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 for Hill (5-2), who fights out of Alliance MMA in San Diego.

Hill showed improved ground and takedown defense, which had been her weakness in the UFC. And she routinely popped Souza (9-1) with her left.

Souza had a few moments where it looked like she might get the tapout, but Hill escaped guillotine and armbar efforts.

Tweet spins a TKO win

Charmaine Tweet figured to be at a disadvantage on the feet against a former boxer in Latoya Walker. And for most of the first round, she was. Yet she ended up eaing the TKO victory and giving Walker her first loss.

Walker routinely got inside the taller Tweet (9-5) and cracked her with power punches. Nearly four minutes into the fight, though, Tweet changed it with one punch.

Tweet unleashed a spiing back fist that floored Walker (5-1). Tweet rushed in with more punches as the fight was called at 4:04

Medeiros pounds Serio

Kaline Medeiros took a strawweight fight against Aline Serio on one week’s notice, and it sure didn’t look like it.

Medeiros (7-4) scored big takedowns and slams on Serio (9-6). Once she got full mount on Serio in the second round, she dropped heavy punches and thunderous elbows. Referee Mike Beltran saw enough, stopping the fight at 4:04.

Anderson TKOs Bell

Megan Anderson used her length and reach to deliver a stuing first finish of the night against a bruising featherweight striker in Amanda Bell.

Anderson (6-2) toppled Bell with her first punch and swarmed, but Bell recovered. Bell at one point was on her back and had Anderson’s arm trapped, but Anderson freed it and dropped elbows.

Once they got to their feet, Anderson unleashed a series of combinations and knees. A head kick wobbled Bell (3-4) and Anderson followed with big strikes. Bell went down as the bell rang, with Herb Dean waving off the fight.

Stanley dominates Si

Christine Stanley looked like she would deliver the first finish of the night, but wound up getting the unanimous decision.

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Stanley (5-1) had Si (2-3) wobbled in the first with a series of punches and kicks, but appeared to cruise in the second and third rounds. The judges awarded her the fight 30-27, 3-27, 29-28.

Ostovich comes back

Rachael Ostovich spent the first round getting the worse of the standup, so the Hawaiian flyweight took it to the ground.

Ostovich (3-2) almost got Ariel Beck (3-3) with rear-naked choke and armbar submission attempts in the second round. She scored a big takedown in the third and did enough to ea the 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 decision.

Howarth ekes out decision

In the opening fight, Laura Howarth eaed a somewhat surprising split decision over Alex Coers, who was making her pro debut.

Coers appeared to land the bigger punches while Howarth (3-1) relied on her kicks. The judges scored it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for the English bantamweight.