Jinh Yu Frey was looking to secure her first atomweight title defense on Saturday at Invicta FC 33, against the very fighter she claimed the championship against earlier this year.
Invicta FC was in action for the final time in 2018 on Saturday night. The all-female fighting promotion was at its home base of the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Missouri for the affair, and hosted an atomweight title fight in the main event. With the 105lb division heating up globally, Jinh Yu Frey was looking to prove her title win earlier in the year was no fluke. Yet she was tasked with facing the same woman she won the then-vacant atomweight belt against, Minna Grusander.
The first fight had ended in a unanimous decision that was controversial nonetheless. Beyond that, allegations of personal hygiene issues that Frey made against Grusander added to the drama.
Saturday night they’d settle the score. The co-main event, meanwhile, saw UFC veteran Danielle Taylor making her return to the Invicta cage, taking on the undefeated Monserrat Ruiz of Mexico, in her promotional debut.
Teenage prospect Kay Hansen was returning as well, taking on Sharon Jacobson on short notice. Amber Brown was in another key atomweight battle, against ALesha Zappitella, and Jamie Moyle, another former UFC athlete, was facing Brianna Van Buren. Moyle, however, had come into the fight a full weight class above the strawweight limit. The fight, as a result, was moved to flyweight, and Moyle fined 25% of her purse.
Chantel Coates vs. Ashlynn Kleinbeck
In early action at Invicta FC 33, Chantel Coates wasted no time geting things started. While Ashlynn Kleinbeck turned some heads walking out to Hollaback Girl, it was Coates making history. She just came forward and melted Kleinbeck within a minute with a giant right hand, twenty-eight seconds in. With the knockout, she captured the record for fastest fight in Invicta FC history!
Chantel Coates def. Ashlynn Kleinbeck by knockout, Round 1, 0:28
Ashley Medina vs. Anastasia Nikolakakos
Atomweights Ashley Medina and Anastasia Nikolakakos went second at Invicta FC 33 in Kansas City on Friday. To start the action off, the pair went at it at a crazy pace. Anastasia caught a kick, and dumped Medina on her back. She began absolutely pounding Medina from the top; she rolled for an arm-bar but couldn’t secure it. Moving back to the feet, Nikolakakos drove Medina into the fence, then scored another takedown. She began raining down ground and pound again, while looking for her opponent’s back.
Medina showed plenty of heart surviving the round. The second started fast and furious, but Anastasia Nikolakakos was not showing any flaws in her game. After taking the back again in the second, she’d finish it with strikes — two up, two down, two finishes to start the night at Invicta FC 33!
Anastasia Nikolakakos def. Ashley Medina by TKO, Round 2, 3:28
Sarah Kleczka vs. Brittney Victoria
Kleczka and Victoria started at a good clip on Saturday in Kansas City, with both fighters landing some bombs. Victoria, despite a bloody nose, was pushing the pace and moving forward. Kleczka was having trouble finding her range and closing the distance, and Victoria was able to do some damage against the cage. Sarah’s corner called for a question mark kick, which was caught, she then got punched in the face to close round one. Victoria’s face was all bloodied up, but she had a lot of success in round one.
A huge left hand from Victoria started the second round. Sarah survived and looked for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Sarah then pushed Victoria into the cage for an arm triangle but no dice there. Victoria was landing the much better strikes and Kleczka was taking deep breaths as the fight wore on. Sarah did hit her opponent with a spinning back fist but it didn’t slow her.
The third round continued in this fashion but the last ten seconds of the fight were insane! Both fighters were throwing caution to the wind; Victoria landed a giant punch that nearly dropped Sarah but nonetheless we went to the judges scorecards.
Brittney Victoria def. Sarah Kleczka by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jamie Moyle vs. Brianna Van Buren
The biggest shock coming into Invicta FC 33 was no doubt Jamie Moyle missing weight by a full weight class. Contracted at strawweight, her bout with Brianna Van Buren wound up rebooked at flyweight.
Moyle was pushing the pace early, but Van Buren was finding success off her back foot. Van Buren, not surprisingly, had a speed advantage. She managed to land a flurry against the cage, then a big combination against the fence followed by a takedown. Solid first round for the California-based fighter.
As the fight wore on, Van Buren would begin to dominate. Moyle was bleeding from a cut by her eye. The pace had slowed someone, and Van Buren was in control. By the third, she was pressing the action. Spending time in Moyle’s guard she landed some big shots to the body. In fact, seeing her stand up and take the fight back to the feet was surprising, given the success she was having on the ground. That said, it didn’t matter in the end as she cruised to a lopsided decision.
Brianna Van Buren def. Jamie Moyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Amber Brown vs. Alesha Zappitella
At atomweight, Amber Brown was returning from a lengthy layoff against Alesha Zappitella. As the fight got started and they were immediately in the clinch, both landing knees. Alesha secured the takedown but Brown looked to get back to her feet. Once she was up she didn’t stay up for long, however, as Zappitella got her right back down. Zappitella then threatened with a D’arce, but they’d close out the round.
As the fight continued in the second, Alesha Zappitella was putting on a wrestling clinic. She took the fight down, moved to side control, and began landing ground n’ pound. Brown worked hard to get off the bottom, but Zappitella was relentless with her pressure. When she did scramble free, she connected with several knees to close out the round.
The third saw Alesha Zapitella looking tired. She began eating some shots, only to score the takedown once again. As the final minute approached we saw Brown get to her feet, she looked for knees to the body and landed some nice punches but it wasn’t enough.
Alesha Zappitella defeats Amber Brown by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Sharon Jacobson vs. Kay Hansen
Teenage standout Kay Hansen stepped up on short notice at Invicta FC 33. And made the most of the opportunity. Just nine days notice for Hansen, who had to deal with Jacobson putting the pressure on, initiating the clinch and throwing her to the ground. Jacobson would get the fight down later in the round via a trip, and end the first frame in mount looking to score damage with some ground n’ pound.
In the second, Hansen shot in for a double leg but couldn’t secure it. That led to Jacobson controlling her against the fence. Jacobson then took Hansen down and looked to land some more ground n’ pound, but Hansen was surviving. Jacobson may have been thinking submission, then moved to mount again, as she had in the first. In short, Jacobson was mauling the teen on the ground.
In the third, Jacobson continued to dominate with her wrestling. Hansen was struggling to get up. But after being thrown later in the round, she was in the perfect position for an arm-bar, and locked it in! A great comeback win for Kay Hansen!
Kay Hansen def. Sharon Jacobson by submission (arm-bar), Round 3, 4:34
Danielle Taylor vs. Monserrat Ruiz
The Invicta FC 33 co-main event saw former UFC athlete Danielle Taylor take on newcomer Monserrat Ruiz. Ruiz had the size advantage in the strawweight battle, but Taylor was landing some solid shots early on her larger opponent. Taylor mixed in leg kicks as well. Ruiz was really struggling to get anything meaningful done thus far, while Taylor continued chopping her up with leg kicks while displaying good takedown defense.
After a solid first round, Taylor began landing some crisp right hands in the second. Ruiz had proven ineffective to that point. Ruiz, apparently tired of doing nothing, sprinted in to try and do some damage against Taylor, but not much landed. She couldn’t get the takedown either, trying desperately for a hip toss. Taylor however stayed standing, and ended the round teeing off on Ruiz.
Taylor looked sharp again to open the third. Ruiz had finally come alive in this round, at last getting that toss and ending up on top as we approached the end of the fight. But it was far too late to claim a decision, and the decision wasn’t there.
Danielle Taylor def. Montserrat Ruiz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Jinh Yu Frey vs. Minna Grusander
If the Invicta FC 33 main event was to answer definitively who the better fighter was between Jinh Yu Frey and Minna Grusander, then a split decision probably wasn’t the finish most were hoping for. Yet that’s where things wound up on Saturday night in Kansas City. In the early going of the evening’s main event, a feeling out process led to an exchange of leg kicks. They’d then clinch, with Frey landed some punishing right hands. But Grusander was far from outmatched, and she’d later drop the champ!
It was clear we were in for a fight. Grusander landed a flurry a short time later, and the pair clinched again. Yet while the Finnish fighter seemed to have the upper hand on the feet, Frey managed to buckle her with a left! Frey was soon landing at will, and Grusander shot for a takedown to survive.
As the fight wore on, Grudander began to find success with takedowns, and was looking for submissions and ground n’ pound. Back on the feet, Frey seemed to have found a home for her straight left, and was landing it pretty much at will. Grusander’s nose was a bloody mess. As the fifth round got underway, the pair were close. It was very much anyone’s fight. Grusander seemed fresher, but Frey continued to land her left hand! That punch, right there, may have given her the edge, as she was able to utilize it throughout the fight.
On the scorecards, two judges had it for Frey — giving her a successful title defense, via split decision.
Jinh Yu Frey def. Minna Grusander by split decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
The preliminary card kicks off on Facebook at 8:30 PM EST. Check back throughout the night for updates!
Invicta FC 33 Results:
Jinh Yu Frey def. Minna Grusander by split decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Danielle Taylor def. Montserrat Ruiz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Kay Hansen def. Sharon Jacobson by submission (arm-bar), Round 3, 4:34
Alesha Zappitella defeats Amber Brown by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Brianna Van Buren def. Jamie Moyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Brittney Victoria def. Sarah Kleczka by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Anastasia Nikolakakos def. Ashley Medina by TKO, Round 2, 3:28
Chantel Coates def. Ashlynn Kleinbeck by knockout, Round 1, 0:28
