After controversial first fight, Tonya Evinger vs. Yana Kunitskaya II slated for Invicta FC 22

Tonya Evinger and Yana Kunitskaya will do it again after a controversial end to their first meeting.

During Saturday’s Invicta FC 21 event, officials announced a rematch between bantamweight champion Evinger (18-5) and challenger Kunitskaya (9-2).

It’s the first fight announced for Invicta FC 22, which takes place March 25. The card, which is expected to take place at Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., streams on UFC Fight Pass.

The fighters first met in November at Invicta FC 20, where 35-year-old Evinger looked for her second straight title defense and 10th consecutive victory overall. However, after Evinger, an 8-1 favorite, scored an early takedown, Kunitskaya rotated her hips and locked in an armbar. Trying to escape the hold, Evinger stood on Kunitskaya’s face. The referee then instructed Evinger to move her foot from the 27-year-old Russian’s head, and moments later, Evinger tapped from the hold (watch the highlights above).

Avenger then successfully appealed the loss to the Missouri Office of Athletics and argued that placing a foot on an opponent’s face on the ground is not a foul unless a strike is thrown. By forcing her to move her foot, her appeal argued, Evinger left herself vulnerable to fight-ending submission. The defeat was ultimately overturned, and Evinger’s champion status was restored.

Kunitskaya, who was on 7-1 run before making her Invicta FC debut during the first meeting with Evinger, is No. 12 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s bantamweight rankings. Evinger is No. 13.

For more on Invicta FC 22, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.