Invicta FC has upped the ante for its main event Friday night.
The promotion announced Thursday at weigh-ins that Barb Honchak has been stripped of the flyweight title and the interim tag is off the Invicta FC 19 headline bout. Jennifer Maia is the new undisputed champion and she'll defend that belt against Roxanne Modafferi. Both women made weight, making the fight official Thursday morning.
An Invicta FC official told MMA Fighting that Honchak was stripped due to inactivity. Honchak (10-2) has not fought since November 2014. The 37-year-old has held the title since 2013, defending it three times before this extended layoff which has been due to injuries and personal reasons.
Maia (13-4-1) won the Invicta interim title by beating Vanessa Porto by unanimous decision in March. The Brazilian has won four straight and six of her last seven fights.
Modafferi (19-12) is one of the most significant pioneers in women's mixed martial arts history, beginning her career in 2003. The 33-year-old has had a career resurgence ever since moving to Las Vegas and Syndicate MMA. Modafferi has won two straight and four of her last five.
The Invicta 19 co-main event, featuring Ayaka Hamasaki defending her atomweight title against Jinh Yu Frey, was also made official Friday morning at weigh-ins. Also on the card, Muay Thai champion Tiffany Van Soest makes her MMA debut in earnest against Kalyn Schwartz.
