It’s unclear what the UFC is going to do with Cris “Cyborg” Justino, who is awaiting her next fight, but Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson is set to put her belt on the line in July.
With Germaine de Randamie refusing to fight her, Cyborg had been targeting a fight with Anderson in the Octagon, perhaps for an interim featherweight title. That bout won’t happen, however, at least not yet. Invicta FC president Shannon Knapp confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday that Anderson’s next fight will be under the Invcita FC banner.
Anderson will put her Invicta featherweight title on the line against Helena Kolesnyk in the Invicta FC 24 headliner on July 15 in Kansas City, Mo. The fight was first reported by MMA Fighting.
Anderson was more than willing to fight Cyborg, but the UFC never came calling. With the UFC’s women’s featherweight division currently stuck in a quagmire of confusion, Invicta FC will move forward with Anderson sitting atop its 145-pound division.
Currently sporting an 8-2 record, Anderson won the interim version of her belt by defeating Charmaine Tweet during the span that Cyborg was dealing with a potential anti-doping infraction handed to her by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. After Cyborg vacated the belt in order to pursue the UFC championship, Anderson was named full Invicta champion.
Currently riding a four-fight winning streak, Anderson will put her belt on the line for the first time against Kolesnyk (5-0). It marks the first time the Ukranian has fought in the U.S. All of her previous bouts took place in Russia, Ukraine, or China. She has finished her opponent in all five of her victories.
