Invicta FC strawweight contender Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpää returns home for her next bout at Fight Night 10 on May 17th in Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland. Kankaanpää meets Ukrainian prospect Alyona Rassohyna in a featured matchup that was announced for the card today.
Kankaanpää most recently engaged in a closely-contested fight with TUF 20 cast member Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood at Invicta FC 7, while Rassohyna has won four straight. Also at Fight Night 10, Vuokko Katainen faces Julia Borisova and Suvi Salmimies makes her pro debut against Yana Lyashko.
One of MMA’s brightest prospects, Marina “The Supernova From Moldova” Shafir, kicked off her pro career with an impressive win on Saturday night at Lights Out Promotions: “Chaos at the Casino 4” in Inglewood, California. The highly-touted judoka submitted Chandra Engel with a first-round armbar.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey will make the next defence of her title on July 5th at UFC 175: “Weidman vs Machida” in Las Vegas, Nevada. The unbeaten judoka faces Canadian jiu-jitsu ace Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis in what will likely serve as the co-main event.
Three-time Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup Champion Rena Kubota has been added to next Friday’s Shoot Boxing 2014: Act.2 event at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Kubota is scheduled to face off against 18-year-old South Korean champion Seo Hee Im, who has won all 17 of her fights to date.
Bantamweight Queen of Pancrase Rin Nakai returns to action to face off against arguably her toughest opponent to date on May 11th at Pancrase 258 in Tokyo, Japan. The undefeated champion is set to battle Invicta FC contender Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio in a non-title bout on the card.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates today for UFC Fight Night 39: “Nogueira vs Nelson.” The event was headlined by a heavyweight bout between jiu-jitsu specialists Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Roy “Big Country” Nelson.
A dislocated thumb has forced Amanda “Lioness” Nunes out of her short-notice fight with Sarah Kaufman at The Ultimate Fighter: “Nations” Finale on April 16th in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Kaufman will now square off against Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith in a rematch from one year ago.
After dropping both of her fights in 2013, Russian standout Milana Dudieva continued her climb back towards bantamweight contendership with her second victory of the year on Sunday night at ProFC 53 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Dudieva submitted 19-year-old newcomer Daria Chibisova.