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Invicta FC 13

A UFC call-up looms for Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino at Invicta FC 13, who will make the second defence of her Invicta FC Featherweight championship against Faith Van Duin on July 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cyborg (13-1, 1 NC) is currently on a three fight win streak in Invicta FC, recently topped by a vicious first round victory over Charmaine Tweet at Invicta FC 11.

After submitting Amanda Bell in April at Invicta FC 12, New Zeland’s Van Duin (5-1) called for a shot at Cyborg and now faces one of the baddest fighters on the planet, as Cyborg tries to solidify her case for a UFC move.

An inaugural Bantamweight champion will be crowned when Tonya Evinger clashes with Irene Aldana. Also, hot off her win over recent UFC signing Michelle Waterson, Herica Tiburcio makes her first 105lb title defence against Ayaka Hamasaki.

Elsewhere on the card, two fighters who UK and Irish MMA followers will be familiar with make their Invicta debuts.

Firstly, former Cage Warriors Bantamweight champion Pannie Kianzad (7-0) takes on Jessica-Rose Clark (5-1).

Iraq born ‘Banzai’ Kianzad; who grew up in Sweden, will make her first appearance since capturing the CWFC 135lb title in a November 2014 decision over Eeva Siiskonen.

Australian Clark, another Invicta debutant, will be a stellar test for Kianzad, and is known for her ‘grind it out’ style of fighting.

23 year-old Kianzad signed with the promotion in March, but a win over Clark could set her up with an Invicta Bantamweight title shot in the very near future.

Irish sensation Catherine Costigan (5-0) will also make her first Invicta appearance, when she takes on American Amber Brown (4-1).

Pankration Kickboxing Academy’s Costigan has been one of the hottest female talents in Ireland for quite some time, rising to prominence after expelling all challenges during her three fight tenure in CWFC.

26 year-old Brown makes her return to Invicta after a tough split decision win over Liz McCarthy at Invicta FC 9 last November.

With both women’s style, this one could get ugly, but Brown is known for often being caught on the inside.

Should “The Alpha Female” continue her reign as Europe’s top Atomweight, she is expected to be next in line for the winner of Tiburcio and Hamasaki later this year.

Invicta FC 13 Fight Card

Featherweight Championship: Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (c) vs. Faith Van Duin
Bantamweight Championship: Tonya Evinger vs. Irene Aldana
Atomweight Championship: Herica Tiburcio (c) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki
Bantamweight: Pannie Kianzad vs. Jessica-Rose Clark
Atomweight: Amber Brown vs. Catherine Costigan
Strawweight: Amy Cadwell Montenegro vs. Jamie Moyle
Featherweight: Marina Shafir vs. Amber Leibrock