After picking up her first win inside the octagon last time out, former Invicta FC champ Jihn Yu Frey was looking to make it two in a row at UFC Vegas 33 on Saturday night. Opposite the former atomweight champ, Ashley Yoder, who at 1-3 in her last four, and coming off a loss to Angela Hill, would no doubt be extra motivated to get the job done.
Yoder took the fight to her comfort zone early, backing Frey against the fence. Frey would not stay there long, however, and got her hands going back at center. The pair traded low kicks; Frey later caught a kick to the body and dumped Yoder on her back. Yoder, however, was almost immediately back up. With two minutes remaining, Yoder closed the distance and drove Frey into the fence. Yoder’s height and reach also gave her an edge in the striking.
Early in the second, Frey hurt Yoder with a punch. Yoder answered back, but it was Frey turning it up, and taking over on the feet. Yoder looked to change levels, but couldn’t secure a takedown. Yoder was showing damage to the eye, and Frey seemed to have found her timing, hitting home with her jab and low kicks — but with a minute remaining, a Yoder counter rocked Frey. A jab/cross landed for Yoder; Frey pushed back but was showing damage from that assault.
The scorecards after two rounds were likely to lean one of two ways: either 20-18 Frey, or 19-19. Either way, Ashley Yoder needed a big round in the third. Possibly a finish. The pair traded at distance throughout the first half of the round, Frey leading the dance more often than not. Time soon became a factor for Yoder, as by the 90 second mark, she was behind on the feet, and had yet to land a takedown despite multiple attempts. It was Frey, meanwhile, landing flush late in the round, with Yoder retreating. They traded to the buzzer
Official Result: Jinh Yu Frey def. Ashley Yoder by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
