Top Brazilian prospect Kinberly Novaes makes her long-awaited return to action on May 16th at Noxii Combat 1 in her hometown of Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Novaes battles MMA Super Heroes tournament winner Renata Baldan in a Noxii Combat women’s strawweight title fight.

Both fighters confirmed the championship bout this week following an initial report from Dama de Ferro MMA. Novaes has been sidelined due to injuries for close to two years and has not fought since August 2013. Baldan most recently picked up her fourth win at MMA Super Heroes 8 in December.

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Former Shoot Boxing Japan Women’s Flyweight Champion Ai Takahashi faces a tough challenge when she steps back into the ring on April 18th at Shoot Boxing 2015: Act.2 in Tokyo, Japan. Takahashi meets long-time kickboxing contender Kanako Taniyama in a featured matchup on the card.

Shoot Boxing officials announced the bout this week. Takahashi has won four straight fights and she is coming off of an impressive second-round knockout victory in August. Taniyama picked up a three-round decision win earlier this month and makes her shoot boxing debut in next month’s fight.

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Brazilian standout Amanda “Lioness” Nunes once again showcased her striking power in a quick and one-sided victory tonight at UFC Fight Night 62: “Maia vs LaFlare” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nunes stopped Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler in round one of their bantamweight bout.

From the outset, Nunes was a step ahead of Baszler and she hurt the veteran grappler with an early kick to the body. Baszler recovered and tried in vain to get the fight to the mat, but Nunes dropped her with a vicious leg kick and followed with punches to seal the dominant TKO victory.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Maracanãzinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil tonight for UFC Fight Night 62: “Maia vs LaFlare.” The event was headlined by a welterweight bout between Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Demian Maia and unbeaten American prospect Ryan LaFlare.

In tonight’s 170-pound co-feature, Erick “Índio” Silva took on short-notice replacement opponent Josh Koscheck. Leonardo Santos faced Tony Martin at lightweight and Amanda “Lioness” Nunes battled Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler at 135. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

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UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey is set to make the next defence of her title on August 1st at UFC 190: “Rousey vs Correia” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rousey meets outspoken and undefeated Brazilian contender Bethe “Pitbull” Correia in the night’s main event.

UFC officials formally announced the title fight on Friday following reports from Tatame and Globo. Rousey most recently submitted “Alpha” Cat Zingano in 14 seconds at UFC 184. Correia is 2-0 against Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen” stable, with wins over Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler.

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Top Deep Jewels star Shizuka Sugiyama aims to extend her winning streak to three when she faces off against a familiar foe on May 31st at Deep Jewels 8 in Tokyo, Japan. Sugiyama is set to battle undefeated Gladiator women’s champion Ji Yeon Kim in a rematch from November 2013.

The Sugiyama-Kim bout was one of three new fights officially announced for the card today. In other action at Deep Jewels 8, former interim lightweight champion Emi Tomimatsu takes on Ayaka Miura, and veteran contender Misaki Takimoto returns from a three-year hiatus to face Yuko “Amiba” Oya.

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Shoot Boxing Japan Girls-S-Cup Champion Yukari Yamaguchi looks to rebound from the first loss of her pro kickboxing career when she returns to action on March 29th at J-Network: “J-Fight & J-Girls 2015 – 1st” in Tokyo, Japan. The highly-touted 16-year-old faces Midori Kato on the card.

Yamaguchi, the younger training partner of Deep Jewels champion Mizuki Inoue, won the 2014 all-Japan Girls S-Cup in August by defeating “V.V” Mei Yamaguchi and Mio Tsumura in one night to claim the title. Kato kicked off her pro career with a victory on an M-Fight card in early December.

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Gladiator Women’s Flyweight Champion Chihiro Imoto is set to make the first defence of her title on April 26th at Gladiator 84 in Osaka, Japan. The 17-year-old standout kickboxer faces off against unbeaten South Korean challenger Ok Soon Park, who makes her Gladiator debut in the fight.

Imoto announced the title fight earlier this month. She captured the belt in September with a dominant Unanimous Decision victory over Miyu Irie at Gladiator 75. Her opponent on next month’s card, Park, has won all five of her professional fights and plans to leave Gladiator 84 with the title.

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