Anderson to defend title vs. newcomer Kolesnyk in Invicta FC 24 headliner

Megan Anderson's next fight won't be housed in the Octagon.

After months of campaigning for a date with Cris Cyborg that would have marked her UFC debut, the Invicta FC featherweight champ will now defend her strap against Helena Kolesnyk in the main event of Invicta FC 24 on July 15 in Kansas City, Mo., the promotion announced Wednesday following a report from Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting.

Anderson dispatched Charmaine Tweet to win the all-female outfit's interim featherweight title in January, and was later promoted to undisputed champ when Cyborg relinquished the crown in pursuit of a date with the UFC's reigning 145-pound champion Germaine de Randamie.

The 27-year-old's relentless quest for a meeting with Cyborg arose from de Randamie's inactivity and the UFC's lack of natural featherweights, and culminated in a recent faceoff with the Brazilian to put some preliminary visuals on the matchup, but it appears her efforts have gone for naught.

The Aussie will head into her first Invicta title defense on a four-fight knockout streak.

Kolesnyk, 27, owns a perfect professional record of 5-0, with all of her wins coming by either knockout or submission. The July title bout marks her Invicta FC debut.