Carla Esparza “Can’t Wait” to Face Ayaka Hamasaki for Invicta Strawweight Title

Invicta 4 is expected to take place in January 2013 with at least a couple of new titles being introduced, and one of the championship fights is now confirmed.

Carla Esparza, winner of three fights in a row including her last two in Invicta, will face Japanese fighter and Jewels champion Ayaka Hamasaki in January.

The promotion will crown its first ever strawweight (115lbs) champion at Invicta 4, and Esparza was more than excited to get the call saying she would be fighting for the belt.

“This is something I’ve been waiting for, I feel like I’ve been improving, and I feel like I’ve been waiting for this pretty much since I started my fight career. My feeling was I can’t wait. I can’t wait to show the world, and I can’t wait to have that belt around my waist,” Esparza told MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday.

Fighting for the inaugural Invicta strawweight title is an honor, but just as much as she appreciates the shot, Esparza is especially excited to face a fighter with the talent of Ayaka Hamasaki.

Hamasaki has gone 8-0 as a pro with 4 wins by submission and one by TKO en route to capturing the Jewels title prior to her win over Lacey Schuckman in her Invicta debut.

Esparza is ready not only to become the first ever 115lb Invicta champion, but she knows it will be no easy test to get through a fighter like Hamasaki.

“She’s beaten some of the top girls in the world and she’s great, and if I do go in the underdog, more power to me, more to prove. If that is the case, I plan on proving people wrong,” said Esparza.

“It means so much more that you have the belt and you had to go through so much to earn it.”

Invicta FC 4 is expected to take place in January 2013, although no date has been announced yet by the promotion. They are expected to have at least one more title fight on the upcoming card to kick off the New Year.