Invicta FC 7: Claudia Gadelha Forced Out of Title Fight Due to Illness

Just hours before its seventh event, Invicta Fighting Championships has been forced to cancel one of the three title fights expected for the event.

Undefeated Brazilian Claudia Gadelha has contracted a bacterial infection and is out of her strawweight title bout against Carla Esparza.

“Claudia ran a high fever late Friday evening and went to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in her intestines,” said Invicta President Shannon Knapp. “Tonight’s PPV will go on as planned with two world championship fights and a stacked undercard.”

The event will take place from the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, Mo. and now features just two title bouts in the promotion’s flyweight and bantamweight divisions.

In the night’s top-billing, 125-pound champion Barb Honcak looks to defend her belt against hard-hitting Leslie Smith. Honchak captured the title with a unanimous decision win over Vanessa Porto at Invicta FC 5 in April. Smith, meanwhile, made a successful flyweight debut in July, topping Brazilian Jennifer Maia by decision.

The co-main event will see the promotion crown its inaugural bantamweight champion as undefeated Lauren Murphy (formerly Taylor) faces off with world Muay Thai champ Miriam Nakamoto. Murphy had gone 2-0 in the Invicta cage, edging veterans Kaitlin Young and Sarah D’Alelio, both via decision. Nakamoto’s first Invicta appearance ended in a no-contest, but she scored a huge knockout of Duda Yankovich in July.

In addition to the title bouts, the card features newly-signed Felice Herrig, former Bellator champion Zoila Frausto Gurgel and Ultimate Fighter 18 combatant Tonya Evinger.

The main card streams live on the promotion’s website for $14.95 beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The preliminary card will stream for free below starting at 7 p.m. ET.