Leslie Smith revealed on Feb. 8 in an exclusive interview with Long Island MMA Examiner Eric Holden that she will be fighting Sarah Kaufman on the Apr. 5 Invicta FC 5 card at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, Missouri.
Smith and Kaufman were originally slated to fight at Invicta FC 4, but the legendary Canadian striker went down with an injury that forced her off the card. Smith fought Raquel Pennington instead, and earned a convincing victory.
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.
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, while Tecia "Tiny Tornado" Torres most likely will not be fighting at the event.
Torres is preparing to make her Muay Thai debut, so her busy training regimen would make it too difficult to also fight at Invicta FC 5.
Also on the Invicta FC 5 main card, Zoila Frausto Gurgel will square off with submission expert Jennifer Maia.
Invicta FC 5 will be held on Apr. 5 at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, Missouri.
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