Finnish standout Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpää rebounded from her first professional loss with an impressive submission win tonight at Fight Night 10 in Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland. Kankaanpää finished Ukrainian prospect Alyona Rassohyna with an armbar in the night’s co-main event.
Kankaanpää put on one of her best performances to date in tonight’s fight and she was relentless with her attacks on the ground. Elsewhere on the card, Vuokko Katainen and Kate Jackson fought to a Split Draw, and Suvi Salmimies earned a Unanimous Decision win over Clemence Schreiber.
Bantamweight Queen of Pancrase Rin Nakai picked up one of the biggest wins of her career tonight at Pancrase 258 in Tokyo, Japan. Nakai earned a clear-cut Unanimous Decision victory over Invicta FC contender Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio in a non-title bout during part one of tonight’s card.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio tonight for UFC Fight Night 40: “Brown vs Silva.” The event was headlined by a five-round welterweight matchup between local favourite Matt “The Immortal” Brown and Brazilian standout Erick “Índio” Silva.
Three days after she celebrates her 16th birthday, highly-touted prospect Yukari Yamaguchi will make her professional kickboxing debut at J-Girls: “The Shining Wild Angels 2nd” on June 22nd in Tokyo, Japan. Yamaguchi faces veteran Megumi Igawa in a 105-pound mini flyweight bout on the card.
Mere weeks after winning her long-awaited pro debut, 15-year-old “Muay Thai Genius” Saya Ito returns to the ring on May 18th at Tenkaichi 71 in Koza, Okinawa, Japan. Ito is set to face off against former J-Girls Mini Flyweight Champion Haru “Taj Mahal” Tajima in a three-round bout.
TUF 18 semi-finalist Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras is set to make her official UFC debut on July 6th at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada. Moras faces off against unbeaten Octagon newcomer Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne in a featured bantamweight bout on the card.
Fresh off of her win over Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke, Bethe “Pitbull” Correia faces another member of the Four Horsewomen stable on August 2nd at UFC 176: “Aldo vs Mendes 2” in Los Angeles, California. Correia battles veteran submission specialist Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler.
CFA Women’s Featherweight Champion Ashlee Evans-Smith is set to make her World Series of Fighting debut on June 21st at WSOF 10: “Branch vs Taylor” in Las Vegas, Nevada. Evans-Smith takes on Invicta FC veteran Marciea “Black Widow” Allen in a featured bantamweight bout on the card.