Invicta FC 6 set for July 13, 13-bout lineup set with Santos-Coenen headliiner

The lineup is set for this summer’s “Invicta FC 6: Cyborg vs. Coenen 2? event, which officials have announced will take place July 13 at Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Mo.

The event is expected to be available via online pay-per-view.

As previously announced, Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (11-1) and Marloes Coenen (21-5) headline the event and fight for the organization’s inaugural featherweight title. Additionally, the event includes strawweight champion Carla Esparza (9-2) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (9-0) and strawweights Bec Hyatt (5-2) vs. Mizuki Inoue (5-1).

Also slated for the main card is bantamweight Sarah D’Alelio (7-3), a onetime Strikeforce fighter who subsequently went 3-1 during Invicta’s first four shows. She looks to building off a January decision win over Amanda Nunes when she meets undefeated Lauren Taylor (6-0), who recently made her promotional debut and scored a decision win over Kaitlin Young at Invicta FC 5.

Bantamweight Leslie Smith (5-3-1), who recently dropped a decision to Sarah Kaufman in an Invicta FC 5 “Fight of the Night” bout, also will be on the card, though an opponent hasn’t been finalized.

Former champion Jessica Penne (10-2), who lost her atomweight title to Michelle Waterson at Invicta FC 5, looks to get back in the win column when she meets fellow 105-pounder Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (8-6), who halted a two-fight skid with a decision win over Angelica Chavez at Invicta FC 2 this past year.

Joanne Calderwood (6-0) is fresh off a Cage Warriors 53 co-headlining knockout of Sally Krumdiack. The striker meets fellow undefeated 115-pounder Claudia Gadelha (9-0), a submission specialist. The Brazilian was slated to make her promotional debut against Carla Esparza for the inaugural strawweight title earlier this year, but she was forced off the card with a broken nose.

In featherweight action, the experienced Ediane Gomes (10-2) meets Julia Budd (5-2). The fighters were scheduled to meet at Invicta FC 5, but Gomes, who’s won four straight, ultimately was shifted to a fight with Santos and then was forced off the card with a rib injury. After the switch, Budd went on to submit Mollie Estes, which marked her third straight win since a November 2011 Strikeforce loss to Ronda Rousey.

Kicking off the main card is a bantamweight bout between strikers Miriam Nakamoto (2-0), a pro muay Thai fighter, and Duda Yankovich (1-1), a pro boxer.

Invicta FC 5's prelims include strawweights Rose Namajunas (2-0) vs. Tecia Torres (2-0), strawweights Ashley Cummins (3-1) vs. Emily Kagan (2-1), featherweights Estes (1-2) vs. Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0), and atomweights Laura Sanko (1-0) vs. Livia Von Plettenberg (1-1).

The full Invicta FC 6 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Online PPV, 10 p.m. ET)

• Marloes Coenen vs. Cristiane Santos – for inaugural featherweight title
• Carla Esparza vs. Ayaka Hamasaki – for strawweight title
• Sarah D’Alelio vs. Lauren Taylor
• Leslie Smith vs. opponent TBA
• Jessica Penne vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc
• Joanne Calderwood vs. Claudia Gadelha
• Julia Budd vs. Ediane Gomes
• Bec Hyatt vs. Mizuki Inoue
• Miriam Nakamoto vs. Duda Yankovich

PRELIMINARY CARD (Online PPV, 8 p.m. ET)

• Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres
• Ashley Cummins vs. Emily Kagan
• Mollie Estes vs. Veronica Rothenhausler
• Laura Sanko vs. Livia Von Plettenberg

For the latest on Invicta FC 6, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Jessica Penne)