Invicta FC champion Emily Ducote signs with UFC, fights Jessica Penne on Long Island

Invicta FC strawweight champion Emily Ducote is turning in her titleholder status for a pair of UFC gloves.

With Brianna Fortino out of UFC on ABC 3 for undisclosed reasons, Ducote (11-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will step in to fight Jessica Penne (14-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) on approximately six weeks’ notice. The event takes place July 16 at UBS Arena in Elmwood, N.Y. with the main card airing on ABC.

Two people with knowledge of the booking confirmed the matchup Wednesday to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Ducote, 28, has won five of six outings since her Bellator departure in 2018 and subsequent drop down to 115 pounds. In August, she won the then-vacant Invicta FC strawweight championship with a Knockout of the Year headkick against former UFC fighter Danielle Taylor. She successfully defended her title for the first time in May when she defeated Alesha Zappitella by TKO due to doctor stoppage.

Penne, 39, is a former UFC women’s strawweight title challenger on a two-fight winning streak. Following a three-fight skid and a lengthy USADA suspension, Penne returned from hiatus in April 2021 and won back-to-back fights against Lupita Godinez and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.

With the addition, the UFC on ABC 3 lineup includes:

• Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez

• Askar Askarov vs. Alex Perez

• Jack Shore vs. Ricky Simon

• Amanda Lemos vs. Michelle Waterson

• Bill Algeo vs. Billy Quarantillo

• Li Jingliang vs. Muslim Salikhov

• Matt Schnell vs. Su Mudaerji

• Dwight Grant vs. Dustin Stoltzfus

• Khusein Askhabov vs. Herbert Burns

• Dalcha Lungiambula vs. Puna Soriano

• Dustin Jacoby vs. Da-un Jung

• Emily Ducote vs. Jessica Penne