Strawweight showdown at Invicta FC 28 to determine division’s next champion
Janaisa Morandin vs. Virna Jandiroba Headlines Invicta FC 28 on March 24
Invicta Fighting Championships today announced details for the promotion’s next event, Invicta FC 28, an eight-fight card scheduled for Saturday, March 24.
For the first time ever, Invicta will travel to the Beehive State, setting up shop in Utah’s capital. Invicta FC 28 streams live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS from the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City at 7 p.m. MT.
Invicta’s next strawweight champion will be crowned in the main event as talented Brazilian striker Janaisa “Evil Priciness” Morandin (10-1) takes on undefeated countrywoman Virna “Carcará” Jandiroba (12-0), a submission specialist.
Morandin made her Invicta debut in a “Fight of the Night” battle against former champion Livia Renata Souza last August and followed it up with a dominant win over Kinberly Novaes in December.
Jandiroba’s resume includes seven submissions inside the opening frame, including a first-round armbar against veteran Amy Montenegro at Invicta FC 26, after which she dubbed herself the “female Demian Maia.”
Japanese prodigy MIZUKI (12-4) returns to Invicta after nearly two years away from the cage. She brings a four-fight winning streak – including a second-round submission of Lynn Alvarez at Invicta FC 18 – into the strawweight co-main event matchup with UFC veteran Milana Dudieva (11-7).
Dudieva, making her third Invicta appearance, drops down to strawweight after previous stints at bantamweight and most recently at flyweight.
After competing on The Ultimate Fighter 26, DeAnna “Vitamin D” Bennett (8-3-1) rejoins the Invicta roster, facing Mexico’s Karina Rodríguez (6-2) at flyweight.
Since joining the promotion last summer, Rodríguez has earned back-to-back wins over Bárbara Acioly and Christine Ferea. She’ll carry that momentum into enemy territory against Bennett, who trained and fought out of Utah for much of her career.
Strawweight Kali “Pop Tart” Robbins (5-0), coming off a frenetic first round finish against Sharon Jacobson at Invicta FC 25, attempts to stay unbeaten and spoil the Invicta debut of UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez (6-3).
Plus, Finland’s Minna “Brutsku” Grusander (5-1) locks horns with recently signed atomweight Fernanda Priscila “Pitbull” Barros Pinheiro (3-1).
Looking to bounce back from the first loss of her MMA career, strawweight “.50 Kal” Kal Schwartz (1-1) squares off against an opponent to be named later.
Newcomers “Scary” Kerri Kenneson (2-0) and Chelsea Chandler (0-0) battle in the night’s lone bantamweight bout.
Invicta FC 28 kicks off with an East Coast vs. West Coast atomweight showdown, pitting New York’s Jillian “Lionheart” DeCoursey (1-0) up against California’s Rebekah Levine (1-0).
The current eight-fight card for Invicta FC 28 can be found below:
Strawweight Title Bout: Janaisa Morandin (10-1) vs. Virna Jandiroba (12-0)
Strawweight Bout: MIZUKI (12-4) vs. Milana Dudieva (11-7)
Flyweight Bout: DeAnna Bennett (8-3-1) vs. Karina Rodríguez (6-2)
Strawweight Bout: Kali Robbins (5-0) vs. Pearl Gonzalez (6-3)
Atomweight Bout: Minna Grusander (5-1) vs. Fernanda Priscila (3-1)
Strawweight Bout: Kal Schwartz (1-1) vs. TBA
Bantamweight Bout: Kerri Kenneson (2-0) vs. Chelsea Chandler (0-0)
Atomweight Bout: Jillian DeCoursey (1-0) vs. Rebekah Levine (1-0)
Invicta FC 28 streams live and exclusively via UFC FIGHT PASS at 7 p.m. MT on Saturday, March 24.
Tickets for Invicta FC 28 will be available soon at Ticketfly.com.
For more information about Invicta Fighting Championships, visit invictafc.com.
