MMA Rising: Yana Kunitskaya vs Danielle West Targeted For July 6 In Spain

Fresh off of a first-round TKO win tonight in Poland, Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya will compete again in just three weeks when she faces Danielle “The Curse” West at Starlight Events: “Gladiator World Cup 2012.” The event takes place on July 6th in Marbella, Spain. West replaces an injured Stacy Hayes.
Kunitskaya has won six straight fights since her lone defeat and she made quick work of Sylwia Kusiak tonight at “Baltic Arena” in Koszalin, Poland. Six of the Russian prospect’s wins have come via knockout. West has also maintained an active schedule and looks to rebound from a loss in April.

Kunitskaya (8-1-0) has established herself as a proven finisher while competing in the featherweight and lightweight divisions and seven of her victories have come inside the distance. She has been out of the first round only twice as a professional, including in a three-round Unanimous Decision loss to Maria Hougaard in May 2010. Since the loss, the 22-year-old Kunitskaya has dominated all challengers, but she has often faced opponents with limited experience due to a lack of top contenders in Europe. West represents Kunitskaya’s toughest test since December 2010 when Kunitskaya blitzed Belgian prospect Cindy “Battlecat” Dandois in just 34 seconds.
West (4-3-1) does not sport a record that is as impressive as Kunitskaya’s, but the British fighter has faced a much higher level of opposition during her career. She holds two victories over Hougaard, who remains the only woman to have defeated Kunitskaya in her pro career. In September, West travelled to Japan to face unbeaten standout Rin Nakai at Pancrase Impressive Tour 9. West dropped Nakai and looked to have done just enough to win a decision, but the bout ended in a contentious Split Draw after three rounds. West’s 2012 campaign began with a victory in February and she now looks for her second win of the year and her biggest to date.
Starlight Events: “Gladiator World Cup 2012” takes place on July 6th at the Marbella Bullring in Marbella, Spain. The event features both kickboxing and mixed martial arts bouts.