Ayaka Hamasaki rides a four-fight win streak into the bout and is 3-1 in Invicta overall. Her last fight was a successful title defense against Amber Brown, ending in an armbar submission midway through the third round. She trains and fights out of Abe Ani Combat Club in Tokyo, Japan, a team famous for its roster of female fighters and for having Josh Barnett as an affiliate coach who drops in whenever he is in Japan.

"Frey is very strong and she is definitely the number one contender. Every title fight is a big fight so I can't be careless. If I win then this is going to be second title defense so it will give me a big confidence for me to step up to the next level," she says of tomorrow night's challenge.

"I am confident in my ground game. Takedown and submitting is what I do best. I am sure Frey will be cautious of my takedowns and ground game but if the situation is right I am willing to stand and engage in the striking battle."

Hamasaki is going into the fight with very clear goals in mind. She knows the kind of victory she wants, she knows what she wants to show people back home and she knows what she wants if she successfully defends the belt.

"One thing I know for sure: I don't want to go full five rounds, so I would like to submit Frey within three rounds. 'One takedown, One kill" - this is what Josh Barnett used to tell Megumi Fujii. And this phrase has been inherited from Fujii-San to everyone at team AACC. I am going to take her down and submit her," she says.

"Many people in Japan will be watching this fight live via Abema TV so I want to show my fans and supporters to watch me defending the world title. And if I win on Friday night, then I want step up to the major league and that means UFC.

"I don't like to bring up specific names here but I think I have to mention the fact that in the current UFC roster, I see a fighter whom I've already defeated twice in a convincing manner, and also, there is a fighter that was submitted by the fighter I've defeated last year. And these two fighters were fighting at 105 lbs division before they got signed by the UFC.

"I am also 9-1 at 115 lbs. I was DEEP JEWELS champ at 115lbs, and the only loss I have in my career is against Claudia Gadelha at 115 lbs who currently ranks first in the UFC's strawweight division. Because of all these reasons above, if I successfully defends title again this Friday, then I believe I deserve to be in the UFC."

(The fighters Hamasaki is referring to above are Seo Hee Ham, who she holds two wins over, one by decision and one by first-round TKO, and 'Karate Hottie' Michelle Waterson, who lost to Hérica Tibúrcio by way of guillotine at Invicta 10. Hamasaki took a split-decision win over Tiburcio last year).

Invicta 19 takes place Friday night at the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Missouri and is headlined by Jennifer Maia defending the interim bantamweight title against Roxanne Modaferri. The event streams live on UFC Fight Pass from 7pm ET.