Ariane Lipski Makes First 125 Title Defense Against Mariana Morais at KSW 40 in Ireland

The biggest MMA promotion in Europe will have two Brazilian women vying for its flyweight title later this month in Ireland.

Ariane Lipski, flyweight queen of Poland's Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, now has an opponent for the first defense of her throne, as she will take on her countrywoman Mariana Morais at KSW 40, set for Oct. 22 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Lipski was already lined up to defend the title on the card but Brazil's Combate was first to report Morais as her challenger. Psicoticos Por Vale Tudo confirmed the matchup Monday.

Lipski and Morais were previously scheduled to meet at Imortal Fight Championship 4 in May 2016, but Morais pulled out due to injury and “The Violence Queen” instead faced Juliana Werner, prevailing by second-round knockout.

Lipski, 23, has won now seven in a row with six of those bouts coming by way of stoppage. After the Werner victory, she got her breakout win at KSW 36 last October, knocking out Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Sheila Gaff in just over two minutes. She returned this past May, armbarring Romania's Diana Belbita to become KSW's first women's flyweight champion at KSW “Colosseum,” in front of nearly 58,000 specators in Warsaw.

The 22-year-old Morais, a product of Parana Vale Tudo, gained her greatest spotlight 25 months ago when she faced Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta Fighting Championships 14, succumbing to strikes late in the third round. Since the defeat, Morais has gone 3-1 and most recently knocked out Vitoria Ferreira on July 1.

KSW 40 also features a promotional lightweight title rematch between undefeated Mateusz Gamrot and UFC veteran Norman Parke and is headlined by “World's Strongest Man” legend Mariusz Pudzianowski battling James McSweeney.