According to a Feb. 4 report from Rant Sports, Tecia Torres will not be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card unless a strawweight fighter pulls out of a match.
Invicta FC officials confirmed it's nothing personal against the exciting striker, as she was left off the Invicta FC 5 card because she'll be making her Muay Thai debut in the near future.
Torres announced the news on her Facebook page that she would not be on the Invicta FC 5 card, and Invicta FC matchmaker Janet Martin confirmed the report.
Torres is 9-0 overall, including back-to-back pro victories in the Invicta FC ranks. She's perhaps one victory away from a strawweight title shot, possibly against Carla Esparza.
Another fan favorite that won't be appearing on the Invicta FC 5 bill is Joanne Calderwood, another undefeated strawweight who won back-to-back fights at Invicta FC 3 and 4.
Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp revealed that Calderwood won't be on the Invicta FC 5 card with a response to a fan on Twitter.
"@ToddVaughn @badmofo_jojo a really good matchup on Invicta FC #6," Knapp posted on Twitter, regarding Calderwood's next fight.
Since Calderwood and Torres have both been left off the card, some will speculate that the two will fight each other at Invicta FC 6.
Invicta FC 5 will be headlined by an atomweight title bout between Jessica Penne (10-1) and Michelle Waterson (10-3).
Penne, 30, is riding a three-fight win streak, while Waterson won each of her last four.
The inaugural flyweight championship will be featured as the co-main event, as Barb Honchak (7-2) fights Vanessa Porto (15-5).
Sherdog.com also reports that Aussie MMA legend Bec Hyatt (4-2) will be fighting Invicta FC newcomer Jasminka Cive (5-0) in a strawweight bout likely slated for the main card.
Hyatt looks to get back in the win column following her Invicta FC 4 loss to Carla Esparza, while Cive hopes to extend her win-streak to six. Hyatt instantly became one of the hottest up-and-coming stars in female MMA with her gritty performance against Esparza, so her tilt against Cive has "Fight of the Night" written all over it.
In other main card action, former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman is set to make her Invicta FC debut, but her opponent has not yet been formally announced.
Invicta FC vet Leslie Smith was slated to fight Kaufman at Invicta FC 4, so there's a strong possibility that they will meet inside the cage in April.
Kaufman hasn't fought since losing to Ronda Rousey in Aug. 2012.
Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp said on Facebook on Feb. 4 that the Invicta FC 5 location, date and full fight card will be revealed this week.
"It is going to be a great week! Lots of exciting announcements coming up!" Knapp wrote. "Invicta FC #5 location, date, full fight card with 14 fights and we are welcoming a lot of new athletes to the Invicta FC family. Good stuff!"
Rose Namajunas (1-0), Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0) and Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc are the latest fighters rumored to appear on the Invicta FC 5 card.
Invicta FC 5 will likely be held on Apr. 6 in Missouri, not on Apr. 13 in Irvine, Calif., as had been originally reported.
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