Jessamyn Duke faces Leslie Smith July 16 at UFC Fight Night

Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke is wasting little time returning to the octagon and adding to an already busy summer in the world of womens’ mixed martial arts.

Duke will toe the line with Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Miller on July 16 in Atlantic City, NJ in a three-round womens’ bantamweight bout, as confirmed Tuesday morning by Ultimate Fighting Championship officials.

Duke (3-0-1, one no-contest), ranked No. 14 in the latest UFC women’s 135-pound poll, is fighting less than three months removed form her previous bout, while Smith (6-5-1) will return three months after her last fight, with both fighters coming off losses.

“Of course I was anxious to get back in there,” Duke texted on Wednesday. “I learned so much in my last fight and I’m a growing, evolving fighter. I’m anxious to show the world the fighter they want to see me become.”

The 27-year-old Duke trains at the Glendale Fighting Club, along with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, fellow UFC bantamweight Shayna Baszler and featherweight Marina Shafir, known collectively as “The Four Horsewomen.”

Rousey will defend her title July 5 in Las Vegas at UFC 175 against Alexis Davis, while Baszler will take on Bethe Correia on Aug. 2 at the Staples Center for UFC 176.

Correia handed Duke her first loss on April 26 via unanimous decision at UFC 172 in Maryland.

Duke will look to bounce back against the game Smith, a hard-charging Invicta Fighting Championships veteran who made her UFC debut April 16 in a loss to Sarah Kaufman via unanimous decision.

Smith went 3-2-1 under the Invicta banner before her short-notice bout against Kaufman and has fought other notables such as Kerry Vera, Raquel Pennington, Jennifer Maia, Ediane Gomes, Kaitlin Young and Barb Honchak. Smith challenged Honchak, falling via decision, for Honchak’s Invicta flyweight (125) title in her last bout before joining the UFC ranks.

Smith, an all-action fighter who prefers to stand up and strike, will take on Duke, who boasts a muay Thai background and made her UFC debut in November of 2013, defeating Peggy Morgan via unanimous decison at “The Ultimate Fighter 18” finale, of which both Duke and Morgan were cast members.

“I took the fight with Leslie as soon as it was offered,” Duke stated. “I’m familiar with her from my days at Invicta and I know she’s a tough opponent, but I’m expecting to walk away from this fight with a finish.”

The UFC Fight Night card will be headlined by Donald Cerrone taking on Jim Miller in a lightweight clash.

For more information, visit www.ufc.com.