For the first time in its 19-year history, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to promote a female fight inside the world-famous Octagon. Newly-crowned UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey will face Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche in the main event of UFC 157.
UFC officials announced the historic title bout today. UFC 157 takes place on February 23, 2013 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Rousey remains unbeaten in MMA and is one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars. Carmouche is coming off of back-to-back stoppage wins for Invicta FC.
Grappling ace Emi Tomimatsu will test her striking skills in a shoot boxing match at Jewels: “22nd Ring” on December 15th in Tokyo. Tomimatsu is set to face Nako Otsuka in one of three additional bouts confirmed for the card today. In a Jewels first, the event will be contested inside a cage.
A bantamweight bout between Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith and Raquel “Rocky” Pennington has been added to the main card of Invicta Fighting Championships 4 on January 5th in Kansas City, Kansas. The featured matchup was officially announced by the promotion earlier today.
A planned rematch between Michele “Diablita” Gutierrez and Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig will no longer take place at Bellator Fighting Championships 84 on December 14th in Hammond, Indiana. Gutierrez withdrew from the bout this past weekend and Herrig will instead face “Little” Patricia Vidonic.
Erika Kamimura successfully reclaimed the vacant WPMF Women’s Mini Flyweight Championship tonight with a commanding stoppage victory at RISE/M-1MC: “Infinity” in Tokyo, Japan. Kamimura knocked out 16-year-old opponent Loma Lookboonmee, a veteran of 121 fights, in the third round.
UFC Welterweight Champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre made a triumphant return to action this past month at UFC 154 in Montréal. St. Pierre defeated interim champion “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit to reclaim the top spot in the 170-pound welterweight division following a lengthy injury layoff.
Rin Nakai kept her undefeated record intact and became the inaugural Bantamweight Queen of Pancrase Champion tonight at Pancrase Progress Tour 14 in Tokyo, Japan. Nakai earned a competitive decision victory over Danielle “The Honey Badger” West in a rematch from September 2011.
Three middleweight bouts have been added to the upcoming Strikeforce: “Champions” event on January 12th in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza looks for his third straight win when he faces rising star Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin.