LFA 118 sees vacant strawweight belt on line with battle of striking and grappling world champions

LFA will crown the fourth strawweight champ in the promotion’s history at Friday’s LFA 118.

Promotion officials today announced that LFA 118 see Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Jaqueline Amorim (4-0) against kickboxing world champion Loveth Young (3-1-1) in the night’s main event, with the winner walking away with the vacant title.

The card streams live on UFC Fight Pass from Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Convention Center in Burbank, Calif.

“We are excited to bring the women’s strawweight championship to southern California at LFA 118,” LFA CEO Ed Soares stated. “Jaqueline Amorim is a BJJ world champion, and Loveth Young is a kickboxing world champion. This title fight made perfect sense as both women are coming off back-to-back devastating wins inside our LFA octagon. The winner will become the fourth strawweight champion in LFA history.”

Amorim’s four professional bouts thus far have all ended in the opening round, including a 10-second knockout win at July’s LFA 110, as well as a 33-second submission victory at March’s LFA 101.

Meanwhile, Young fought most recently in January, scoring a second round TKO over Kelly D’Angelo at LFA 97. Her lone professional MMA loss came via decision to current UFC women’s flyweight and former LFA champ Vanessa Demopoulos. The “Nigerian Terminator” has since rebounded with back-to-back TKO wins under the LFA banner.

With the announcement, the LFA 118 lineup currently includes

MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 10 p.m. ET

• Jaqueline Amorim vs. Loveth Young – for vacant strawweight title
• Askar Askar vs. Leandro Gomes
• Chase Gibson vs. opponent TBA
• Dione Barbosa vs. Jena Bishop
• Ryan Fillingame vs. Javier Garcia
• Alandria Brown vs. Sidney Trillo