Livia Renata Souza (Jeff Vulgamore/Combat Press)

Invicta FC 22 Adds Five Bouts, Including Hamasaki-Souza and Bennett-Esquibel

The fight card for Invicta Fighting Championships 22 has added five new bouts.

Four strawweight fights and one atomweight match-up will join the bantamweight title rematch between champion Tonya Evinger and Russian challenger Yana Kunitskaya on Saturday, March 25 from the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streams on UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET.

The night’s co-main event features atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki moving up in weight to battle former strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza. Hamasaki enters the contest having won five straight fights, including back-to-back title defenses against Jinh Yu Frey and Amber Brown. Souza fights for the first time since losing her title to Angela Hill at Invicta FC 17.


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Also at 115 pounds, former title challenger DeAnna Bennett takes on Jodie Esquibel in bout that was originally slated for Invicta FC 21. Bennett will return for the first time since Invicta FC 16, where she dropped a split decision to veteran Roxanne Modafferi in a flyweight bout. Esquibel will also look to rebound after falling short against Alexa Grasso at Invicta FC 18 in July.

Recent atomweight title challenger Jinh Yu Frey welcomes undefeated Brazilian Janaisa Morandin to the promotion. Frey challenged the aforementioned Hamasaki at Invicta FC 19, but lost by TKO after doctors stopped the bout due to a cut. Morandin has reeled off nine straight wins in her home country, including five by way of strikes.

Two more strawweight bouts join the card as Iceland’s Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir meets newcomer Mallory Martin, while unbeaten Kal Holliday takes on 19-year-old Miranda Maverick.

Additional bouts for the event are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Current Invicta FC 22 Fight Card
Tonya Evinger vs. Yana Kunitskaya – for bantamweight title
Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Livia Renata Souza
DeAnna Bennett vs. Jodie Esquibel
Jinh Yu Frey vs. Janaisa Morandin
Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir vs. Mallory Martin
Kal Holliday vs. Miranda Maverick


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