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The rumored UFC Women’s Strawweight Division is now official, as the UFC has signed eleven new female fighters (all from Invicta FC) and they all will be part of the first ever all female season of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 20. The ten women that the UFC has brought over from Invicta FC are current Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza, Alex Chambers, Claudia Gadelha, Felice Herrig, Bec Hyatt, Emily Kagan, Juliana Lima, Rose Namajunas, Tecia Torres, Paige VanZant and Joanne Calderwood. The final two from the UFC Ultimate Fighter 20 (which will have six more fighters added in the future) will fight to become the first ever UFC Women’s Strawweight Title.
Esparza has a record of 9-2-0 and is the current Invicta FC Strawweight Champion, she defeated Bec Hyatt to become the first champion at Invicta FC IV. Chambers currently holds a record of 4-1-0 and will enter the show riding a two fight winning streak, last defeating Jodie Esquibel at Invicta FC V. Gadelha holds an MMA record of 11-0-0 and was set to challenge Esparza for the title at Invicta FC VII, but was deemed unable to compete after getting ill following the weigh-in.
Herrig will enter the promotion with a record of 9-5-0, she has previously fought Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza and Invicta FC Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak. Hyatt signs with the UFC after posting a record of 5-3-0, winning one of three under the Invicta FC banner. Kagan will enter the promotion with a record of 3-1-0, with three of her four career fights coming in Invicta FC.
Lima has a record of 6-1-0 at this time and she is a longtime veteran of the Brasil Fight MMA promotion, which is where she last fought before entering the UFC. Namajunas has the least fights of the signees with a record of 2-1-0 and she is most known for her flying arm bar finish of Kathina Catron at Invicta FC V. Torres is holding a record of 4-0-0 up until this point and was rumored to be the next challenger for Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza. VanZant posts a professional MMA record of 3-1-0 upon entering the promotion, with her loss coming to fellow signee Tecia Torres. Calderwood is the third undefeated record signed with a record of 8-0-0, with the majority of her experience coming in Invicta FC and Cage Warriors.
