Another Invicta FC product is heading to the UFC octagon this year.
Invicta FC bantamweight champion Yana Kunitskaya has announced that she’ll be making her UFC debut later this year. In a post on her official Instagram account, ‘Foxy’ revealed that she’ll be facing former UFC bantamweight title challenger Sara McMann at UFC on FOX 28. McMann later confirmed the bout. Kunitskaya will be joining a massive cast of former Invicta fighters who now populate the UFC, including three of four current UFC female champions: Rose Namajunas, Amanda Nunes, and Cris Cyborg.
Kunitskaya (10-3, 1NC) defeated Raquel Pa’aluhi in August at Invicta FC 25 to capture the 135lb title vacated by Tonya Evinger when she moved to the UFC. Prior to that, the Russian star had fought in a pair of bouts against Evinger. The first, initially a win for Yana, was overturned to a No Contest on appeal due to a referee error. In the second, Evinger submitted Kunitskaya in the second round.
Yana Kunitskaya made her professional debut in 2009, and retired in 2012 after announcing she was pregnant with a son. In 2016, she returned to action, joining Invicta FC after splitting a pair of fights in Russia.
Sara McMann (11–4), an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling, is coming off a loss to Ketlen Vieira at UFC 215. Prior to that, she had run up a three-fight win streak over Jessica Eye, Alexis Davis, and Gina Mazany. She’ll look to get things back on track at UFC Orlando against the debuting Kunitskaya. Having fought a trio UFC champions in Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Amanda Nunes, McMann will have a solid edge in quality of competition over her opponent.
UFC on FOX 28 takes place February 24 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. No main event has been announced for the card as of yet. A strawweight battle between top 115lb fighters Tecia Torres and Jessica Andrade will also appear at the event.
