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Maria Jose Favela will make her professional MMA return after overcoming cancer.
In August 2022, Favela ended a two-fight skid with a third-round TKO, pushing her professional MMA record to 3-2. Little did the Mexican-born fighter know that she would face the toughest fight of her life the following year.
Favela was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer plaguing the lymphatic system. 'Leona' put her fighting career on hold and refused to let the disease win. Luckily, Favela announced in mid-2023 that she was officially cancer-free.
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Since then, Favela has returned to training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 31-year-old will make her return to the cage on September 20 at Invicta FC 57, which was announced by the promotion on social media:
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"Everyone in the #MMA community rallied around Maria Favela after her #cancer diagnosis. Now at #InvictaFC57 on 9/20, she's ready to return."
Maria Jose Favela made her professional MMA debut in September 2020 following a 4-1 amateur run. The Mexican-born fighter started with back-to-back wins with UWC before signing with Invicta. Things didn't go her way, as she suffered consecutive losses before her latest fight, the second-round finish in August 2022.
Favela undoubtedly has her sights set on re-solidifying herself as a female fighter to watch. The question is, can she overcome the extended layoff and life changes to emerge victorious inside Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas?
Who is Maria Jose Favela's opponent at Invicta FC 57?
Maria Jose Favela plans to have a special night at Invicta FC 57. With that said, Favela's opponent, Maria Djukic, looks to capitalize on the added attention and showcase her skills with an impressive performance.
Djukic is a 30-year-old Canadian with a 3-1 professional MMA record. 'Sweet' started with a 1-0-1 amateur run before consecutive decision wins to start her climb in the pro ranks. In July 2022, Djukic suffered her lone loss, a second-round knockout at Invicta FC 48.
Fifteen months later, Djukic returned for her latest fight and defeated Fernanda Araujo by unanimous decision. The Canadian-born women's bantamweight has an opportunity to continue building momentum by spoiling Favela's return party.
