Fresh off of a quick submission victory in October, Stephanie “Macaquinha” Frausto returns to the Invicta FC cage to face “Sassy” Cassie Rodish at Invicta Fighting Championships 4 on January 5th in Kansas City, Kansas. The atomweight matchup was officially announced for the card today.

The preliminary card features a pair of featherweight bouts. Knockout artists Veronica “The Heartbreaker” Rothenhausler and Katalina Malungahu face off in one. Tamikka “Boom Boom” Brents faces Amanda “The Lady Killer” Bell in another. Rose “The Riveter” Namajunas battles Emily Kagan at 115.

Frausto (4-4-0) has enjoyed a career resurgence since opting to move down to the atomweight division earlier this year. She first captured the Women’s Fighting Championship atomweight title in May with a dominant win over Diana “Dynamite” Rael and then earned a Submission of the Night bonus for her 48-second submission of Amy “Lil’ Dynamite” Davis at Invicta FC 3 this past month. Rodish (3-3-0) has won three straight, all inside the distance, and made a successful Invicta FC debut on the promotion’s inaugural card in April by submitting Meghan “The Babe” Wright in just 36 seconds. She now looks to make it four in a row at Frausto’s expense and could vault into the atomweight top ten with a victory.

Rothenhausler (3-0-0 amateur) has become one of the most talked-about amateur fighters in the sport today following back-to-back five-second knockout wins. In her most recent bout in July, Rothenhausler stopped Ashlee Evans-Smith to capture the Tuff-N-Uff featherweight title. With opponents scarce in the amateur ranks, she will now make her pro debut against Malungahu (2-1-0), who is no stranger to quick knockout victories. Malungahu finished all three of her amateur opponents with strikes and kicked off her pro career with a pair of first-round knockout wins. She made her Invicta FC debut in October and started strong against veteran Ediene “India” Gomes, but eventually succumbed to a rear-naked choke and now aims to get back on the winning track.

Brents (1-0-0) amassed a stellar amateur record of 11-0-1, 1 ND and made her long-awaited pro debut earlier this month. Facing a solid test in Jessica “Raising Havoc” Halverson, Brents put on one of the most impressive performances of her career en route to a first-round TKO victory. She has gradually moved down in weight in preparation for a long-term career in the featherweight division and will now compete at 145 for the first time as a professional. Bell (6-1-0 amateur) has yet to go the distance in her career and most recently earned her biggest win to date when she stopped Invicta FC rising star Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke one year ago. She now has an opportunity to make a big statement if she can defeat Brents in her pro debut and has her sights set on making a run to the top of the division.

Namajunas (4-0-0 amateur) has been one of the most highly-touted female fighters in the amateur ranks since her August 2010 MMA debut. With excellent striking, wrestling and jiu-jitsu, Namajunas is one of the most well-rounded female competitors at 115 pounds and she now makes her much-anticipated pro debut following a pair of victories earlier this year. She won’t have an easy fight, however, and Jackson’s MMA’s Kagan (2-0-0) will be looking for a big win of her own in her Invicta FC debut. Following a 5-2 stint as an amateur, Kagan racked up back-to-back decision wins in September and October. She most recently edged out Glena “Heartless” Avila at Dakota FC 13. With the Invicta FC strawweight division becoming more and more competitive, a win will be crucial for both fighters.

Invicta Fighting Championships 4 takes place on January 5, 2013 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event is headlined by the inaugural Invicta FC Strawweight Championship bout between Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza and Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha.

Invicta Fighting Championships 4 Fight Card (to date; subject to change):

– Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza vs Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha [Invicta FC Strawweight Title]
– Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler vs Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis [135 Pounds]
– Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes vs Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio [135 Pounds]
– Ediene “India” Gomes vs Hiroko “Cat’s Eye” Yamanaka [145 Pounds]
– Joanne Calderwood vs Bec “Rowdy” Hyatt [115 Pounds]
– Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith vs TBD [Weight TBD]

– Stephanie “Macaquinha” Frausto vs “Sassy” Cassie Rodish [105 Pounds]
– Veronica “The Heartbreaker” Rothenhausler vs Katalina Malungahu [145 Pounds]
– Tamikka “Boom Boom” Brents vs Amanda “The Lady Killer” Bell [145 Pounds]
– “Lightning” Liz McCarthy vs Jodie Esquibel [105 Pounds]
– Rose “The Riveter” Namajunas vs Emily Kagan [115 Pounds]
– Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres vs “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant [115 Pounds]

(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, AllElbows.com / InvictaFC.com)