Strikeforce tournament veteran Maiju “Mai” Kujala looks for her third straight victory when she takes on unbeaten Brazilian Juliana “Thai” Carneiro Lima at Revolution Fighting Champion 1 on March 9th. The targeted matchup, which Kujala announced earlier today, will take place in Beirut, Lebanon.

Despite a number of bout cancellations due to injuries, Kujala earned a pair of first-round stoppage wins in 2011 after fighting five times in the year prior. Carneiro Lima has fought exclusively for Brazil Fight in her home country, where she has picked up decision victories in each of her three pro bouts.

Kujala (6-3-0) earned a contract with Strikeforce after winning a one-night Upcoming Glory tournament in 2010. She debuted for Strikeforce as part of the promotion’s 135-pound women’s tournament, but suffered a close decision loss to current champion Miesha “Takedown” Tate in an abbreviated two-round bout. Since the loss to Tate, Kujala has won two of her three bouts, but she endured a tough year in 2011 when injuries to Kujala and opponents scrapped a number of planned fights. Nevertheless, Kujala brings a two-fight winning streak into her showdown with Carneiro Lima and aims to hand the Brazilian the first defeat of her career.

Carneiro Lima (3-0-0) has quietly built a name for herself as a prospect to watch for in Brazil. She made her pro MMA debut in late 2010 with a Split Decision victory over Aline Sério and posted two more wins this past year. Like Kujala, Carneiro Lima’s most recent fight came on September 3rd, and also like her Finnish opponent, Carneiro Lima possesses a well-rounded skill set. She now takes a rather significant step up in competition to challenge Kujala, but a win over the Strikeforce veteran would keep Carneiro Lima on track as one of Brazil’s top young female fighters.

Revolution Fighting Champion 1: Beirut takes place on March 9th at the Beirut Indoor Sports City in Beirut, Lebanon.

(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, AllElbows.com)