Four years after it was first booked by the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, a bout between bantamweight strikers Sarah Kaufman and Kaitlin Young will take place at Invicta Fighting Championships 3 on October 6th in Kansas City, Kansas. MMARising.com confirmed plans for the fight on Sunday.

Kaufman and Young were set to face off at EliteXC: “A Night of Champions” in November 2008, but the event was scrapped when the promotion folded one month earlier. Both fighters will be looking to get back on the winning track after suffering submission setbacks in their most recent fights.

Kaufman (15-2-0) has been a staple of Strikeforce cards since making her promotional debut in May 2009. The British Columbia native went on to capture the inaugural Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Championship in early 2010 and made one successful title defence before suffering her first loss at the hands of Marloes “Rumina” Coenen. Kaufman rallied back from defeat and put together a three-fight winning streak that included victories over Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche and Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis to earn another shot at the Strikeforce title, but she succumbed to an armbar from current champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey nine days ago. Not wanting to waste any time getting back into the cage, Kaufman makes her Invicta FC debut in October and faces a fellow striker with knockout power.

Young (7-6-1) kicked off her pro career with four consecutive knockout wins, including three in one night in the 2007 HOOKnSHOOT Women’s Grand Prix, but subsequently endured a tough four-fight losing skid that included a May 2008 setback against Gina “Conviction” Carano under the EliteXC banner. After winning three of four bouts, Young made her Invicta FC debut on the promotion’s inaugural card in April and fought Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith to an action-packed Split Draw after three rounds. The bout was deemed Fight of the Night and received considerable praise from critics and fans alike. Young started off well in her second Invicta FC bout against Carmouche in July, but ultimately fell victim to a rear-naked choke in the latter half of the second round.

The bout between Kaufman and Young is a pivotal one for both fighters. Kaufman looks to retain her spot among the top three in the bantamweight division and could propel herself back into the Strikeforce title hunt with an impressive victory. Young would earn the biggest win of her career if she can get past the former Strikeforce champion. The fighters have combined for 16 knockout victories to date.

A previously announced bout on the Invicta FC 3 card between Taylor “No Mercy” Stratford and Katalina Malungahu was scrapped this past week after Stratford was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. Malungahu may remain on the card against a replacement opponent, but an official announcement has not yet been made.

Invicta Fighting Championships 3 takes place on October 6th at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event is headlined by an Invicta FC Atomweight Championship bout between Jessica Penne and Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama.

Invicta Fighting Championships 3 Fight Card (to date; subject to change):

– Jessica Penne vs Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama [Atomweight (105-Pound) Championship]
– Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler vs Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio [135 Pounds]
– Sarah Kaufman vs Kaitlin Young [135 Pounds]
– Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak vs Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly [125 Pounds]
– Tara LaRosa vs Vanessa Porto [125 Pounds]
– Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith vs Cat “Alpha” Zingano [135 Pounds]
– Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson vs Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman [105 Pounds]
– Julia “The Jewel” Budd vs Elaina “Beef” Maxwell [145 Pounds]

– Carla Esparza vs Lynn “Lights Out” Alvarez [115 Pounds]
– Ashley “Smashley” Cummins vs Joanne Calderwood [115 Pounds]
– Amy “Lil’ Dynamite” Davis vs Stephanie “Macaquinha” Frausto [105 Pounds]
– Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke vs Marciea “Black Widow” Allen [135 Pounds]
– Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres vs Kaiyana Rain [115 Pounds]
– Katalina Malungahu vs TBD [145 Pounds]

(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, Strikeforce)