Invicta FC 6 might be short one title fight.
Promotional strawweight (115 pounds) champion Carla Esparza has suffered a knee injury, which has forced her to withdraw from her July 13 title defense against Ayaka Hamasaki, MMAFighting.com confirmed with Invicta president Shannon Knapp on Tuesday.
As a result, Claudia Gadelha, who was slated to fight Joanne Calderwood on the same card, will now meet Hamasaki. Knapp said the promotion is waiting to hear just how long Esparza will be out for to determine whether or not the Gadelha vs. Hamasaki fight will be for an interim title.
Invicta is currently working on finding a new opponent to face Calderwood on July 13.
This will mark Hamasaki’s (9-0) second Invicta fight. She won her debut last year against Lacey Shuckman. She is also the Jewels 115-pound champion.
Gadleha (9-0) will be making her promotional debut at Inivcta 6. She has finished six of the nine opponents she’s faced thus far.
The strawweight title fight was scheduled to be the co-main event of the evening under the Cris Cyborg vs. Marloes Coenen featherweight title fight. The event will be held at the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, MO.