On Saturday, March 25, Invicta Fighting Championships will host Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya 2 from the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo.
In the night’s main event, Invicta bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger will once again put her belt on the line against Russian challenger Yana Kunitskaya. The pair met previously at Invicta FC 20, with Kunitskaya being ruled the winner via armbar in under two minutes. However, controversy followed due to the actions of referee Mike England. England shouted at Evinger for placing her foot on Kunitskaya’s face during her attempt to escape the submission hold. Evinger’s actions are permitted under the unified rules and she immediately filed an appeal with the the Missouri Office of Athletics. The bout was overturned to a no-contest and Evinger retained her title.
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.
The eight-fight event streams live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
The fighters will hit the scales at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 24. Video (courtesy of Invicta FC) appears above, while the results will appear below.
Ayaka Hamasaki (115.7) vs. Livia Renata Souza (115)
DeAnna Bennett (117.6)* vs. Jodie Esquibel (115.5)
Jinh Yu Frey (106) vs. Janaisa Morandin (111.2)#
Amber Brown (105.9) vs. Ashley Cummins (105.6)
Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (115.8) vs. Mallory Martin (114.8)
Kal Holliday (115.9) vs. Miranda Maverick (120.5)*
Felicia Spencer (146) vs. Madison McElhaney (146)
* – Bennett and Maverick were each fined 25 percent of their fight purse for missing weight. Both bouts will proceed as catchweights.
# – The bout between Morandin and Frey has been canceled after a catchweight could not be agreed upon by both parties.