TUF 20 semi-finalist Randa “Quiet Storm” Markos steps back into the cage on December 19th at UFC on FOX 17: “Dos Anjos vs Cerrone 2” in Orlando, Florida. The strawweight standout welcomes undefeated KSW champion and top Invicta FC contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz to the Octagon.

UFC officials announced the bout this evening. Markos rebounded from a razor-thin loss to fellow TUF 20 semi-finalist Jessica Penne by defeating Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly at UFC 186. The newly-signed Kowalkiewicz most recently edged out Brazil’s Kalindra Faria at KSW 30 in February.

Markos (5-2-0) shied away from much of the drama inside the TUF 20 house and let her performances inside the cage – including an upset win over Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres – speak for her. She submitted Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig in the TUF 20 quarterfinals before succumbing to a kimura from “Thug” Rose Namajunas in the semi-final round. At the TUF 20 Finale in December, Markos dropped a close Split Decision to Penne in a back-and-forth fight, but she returned home to Canada and notched her first official UFC victory in April by outpointing Daly.

Kowalkiewicz (7-0-0) is one of Europe’s top female prospects in any weight class, and the Polish standout made a name for herself among international fans this past November when she took a well-deserved Split Decision victory over current Deep Jewels champion Mizuki Inoue at Invicta FC 9. She returned to Poland in February to battle Faria in a non-title bout, where Kowalkiewicz’s KSW Women’s Strawweight Championship was not on the line, and she did just enough to eke out a Split Decision win in a closely-contested fight.

The bout between Markos and Kowalkiewicz will establish a future title contender in the competitive and ever-changing UFC women’s strawweight division. A victory for either woman will place the winner on a short list of potential title challengers.

UFC on FOX 17: “Dos Anjos vs Cerrone 2” takes place on December 19th at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The event is headlined by a UFC Lightweight Championship rematch between Rafael dos Anjos and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, and also features a women’s bantamweight bout between Sarah Kaufman and Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie.

(Photo Credit: UFC)