A featherweight title contender’s bout between Muay Thai practitioner Julia “The Jewel” Budd and submission specialist Ediane “India” Gomes is set to take place at Invicta Fighting Championships 5 on April 5th in Kansas City, Missouri. The 145-pound fight was added to the event’s main card today.

Budd and Gomes have earned dominant wins in each of their respective fights for Invicta FC to date. Budd most recently stopped late-replacement opponent Danielle West at Invicta FC 3, while Gomes took a Unanimous Decision victory over Japan’s Hiroko “Cat’s Eye” Yamanaka at Invicta FC 4.

Budd (4-2-0) began her MMA career in Strikeforce and went 2-2 for the promotion against high-level opposition before making the transition to Invicta FC this past July. In her promotional debut, Budd stopped Swedish striker Elina Nilsson with vicious ground and pound in the first round. She returned to Invicta FC in October to face fellow top contender Elaina “Beef” Maxwell, but a concussion in training knocked Maxwell out of the fight and Budd dominated West en route to a first-round TKO victory.

Gomes (10-2-0) has put together a solid four-fight winning streak since suffering a quick submission loss at the hands of current UFC champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey in March 2011. At Invicta FC 3 in October, Gomes handed knockout artist Katalina Malungahu the first loss of her pro career. She returned to action this past month at Invicta FC 4 and picked up what was arguably her biggest win to date by defeating Yamanaka via a one-sided Unanimous Decision. Eight of Gomes’s wins have come inside the distance.

The battle between Budd and Gomes is expected to serve as a title contender’s bout, with the winner moving on to compete for the inaugural Invicta FC Featherweight Championship later this year. Both fighters have put on strong performances inside the Invicta FC cage and one may have an opportunity to become the promotion’s first 145-pound champion in the coming months.

Invicta Fighting Championships 5 takes place on April 5th and is targeted for the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. The event is headlined by an Invicta FC Atomweight Championship bout between champion Jessica Penne and Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson. The inaugural Invicta FC Flyweight Championship is up for grabs when Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak battles Vanessa Porto.

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