One of Invicta FC's best fighters is calling it quits.
Katja Kankaanpaa, the former Invicta women's strawweight champion, announced this weekend night that she would be retiring from MMA competition. At Invicta FC 14 on Saturday night, Kankaanpaa lost a controversial unanimous decision to DeAnna Bennett in the co-main event.
"Yesterday's match will be my last one," Kankaanpaa wrote on Facebook (h/t Sherdog for the translation). "Now it's time to take it a bit easier. I will write more specifically about this once I've returned to Finland. Thank you for all the support I've received from all of you."
Invicta president Shannon Knapp confirmed Kankaanpaa's retirement on Twitter.
@KillerBunny_MMA it's been a pleasure to work with you. I wish you much success in your future endeavors. We will miss you at Invicta.
— Shannon Knapp (@shanknapp) September 13, 2015
Kankaanpaa (10-3) held the Invicta title until falling to Livia Renata Souza via fourth-round submission in April. A win over Bennett would have put her right back in title contention and many thought she should have gotten the nod on the judges' scorecards. Bennett also missed weight leading into the contest.
The 34-year-old Finland native won the vacant belt with a fifth-round submission (brabo choke) over Stephanie Eggink in September 2014. Her only other loss in Invicta before these last two came against Joanne Calderwood.