Frey

Invicta FC 30 Results: Frey Edges Grusander, Captures Atomweight Title

Kansas City, Mo.ย โ€” On Saturday, July 21,ย Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusanderย fromย the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The Invicta atomweight belt now belongs to Jinh Yu Frey, as she edged Finlandโ€™s Minna Grusander by decision after five grueling rounds. Grusander was heavy in the clinch throughout the fight, pinning Frey to the fence. Frey countered with knees to the body to separate. Grusander worked hard for multiple takedowns against the fence, looking for an armbar late in the opening stanza. Frey utilized her own wrestling attack, earning takedowns in the middle rounds. In the third round, Frey was the most effective, threatening with a rear-naked choke. Grusander rebounded with slicing elbows in the fourth, negating another takedown from Frey. The fifth and final stanza saw both fighters dig deep, but neither could find the finish. The judges had their work cut out for them, but handed down a unanimous decision win for Frey.

The undefeated record of featherweight Felicia Spencer remains intact after she submitted Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk in the second round. Spencer used her taekwondo background to fire off a variety of kicks, but Kolesnyk was able to avoid damage and fire punches. Spencer scored with a trip takedown and quickly took the back of Kolesnyk along the cage. She worked for a choke, but could not secure it. In round two, it was more of the same, as Spencer was able to gain a dominant position on the mat. When Kolesnyk rolled to her stomach, Spencer sunk in the fight-finishing rear-naked choke and coerced the tap.

Veteran Heather Jo Clark successfully debuted in the Invicta cage, outworking Brazilian Kinberly Novaes over the course of three rounds. Clark came out firing, landing a right straight and spinning backfist. Novaes clinched and the fight stalled along the fence. The pair traded knees from the inside for the majority of the opening frame. In round two, Clark powered into a blast double-leg takedown and scored with heavy shots from the top. Down on the scorecards entering the final frame, Novaes came forward with a purpose in the final round. Clark looked for a takedown, but Novaes sprawled and was able to takes Clarkโ€™s back as time expired. It was too little, too late for Novaes, as Clark claimed the decision nod.

In a battle of unbeaten flyweights, Guamโ€™s Brogan Walker-Sanchez put an end to Miranda Maverickโ€™s unblemished record. Walker-Sanchez was quick to close the distance, but it was Maverick who looked to take the fight to the canvas. She did so late in round one, finishing the round on top. Maverick again looked to grapple in round two, as the pair traded leg lock attempts. Walker-Sanchez used the 50-50 position to get to top position and then move to Maverickโ€™s back. Round three featured a lot of single punches from each fighter, but a late single-leg attempt from Maverick ended with Walker-Sanchez in side control. When the scorecards were read, it was Walker-Sanchez who took home the decision.

Stepping in on short notice, Stephanie Geltmacher made short work of bantamweight Kerri Kenneson in the first round. Geltmacher used her wrestling to put Kenneson on her back immediately. She passed to mount and began to unleash an assault of punches and elbows. Kenneson held on as long as she could, but after dozens of unanswered strikes, the referee stepped in to halt the contest.

Alesha Zappitella quickly put a stamp on the 105-pound division, handing Jillian DeCoursey her first career defeat. Zappitella was aggressive coming forward, scoring with flurries that backed DeCoursey against the fence. She rocked DeCoursey a number of times with her overhand right. Zappitella was also able to utilize her wrestling pedigree, neutralizing the ground game of DeCoursey from inside the half guard. DeCoursey showcased her toughness, absorbing the heavy shots from Zappitella and smiling in response. But it was Zappitellaโ€™s constant offense that allowed her to sweep the judgesโ€™ scorecards.

Atomweight Alyse Anderson returned to the win column with a highlight-reel finish of Stephanie Alba. The pair exchanged on the feet before Anderson initiated the clinch and earned a takedown. She was able to pass to mount, forcing Alba to give up her back. Anderson looked for rear-naked choke, but the round expired. In the second frame, Anderson again clinched and looked for a takedown. Alba was able to return to the feet and put Anderson against the fence, but Anderson went for a flying triangle. The choke was deep and eventually put Alba out cold.

The nightโ€™s action kicked off with a battle of debuting flyweights as Erin Blanchfield took on Brittney Cloudy. Cloudyโ€™s jab was her primary weapon in the first round, as kept Blanchfield at range. A right hand from Cloudy wobbled Blanchfield midway through the frame. Round two saw Blanchfield fire back, scoring with a slapping head kick and earning a takedown. She looked for an armbar, but Cloudy would survived the stanza. The final round largely took place on the feet, but a late takedown from Blanchfield was enough to sway two of the judges to award her the decision victory.

OFFICIALย RESULTS
Jinh Yu Frey def. Minna Grusander by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) – for atomweight title
Felicia Spencer def. Helena Kolesnyk by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 1:47
Heather Jo Clark def. Kinberly Novaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Brogan Walker-Sanchez def. Miranda Maverick by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephanie Geltmacher def. Kerri Kenneson by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 3:32
Alesha Zappitella def. Jillian DeCoursey by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Alyse Anderson def. Stephanie Alba by technical submission (flying triangle choke). Round 2, 3:12
Erin Blanchfield def. Brittney Cloudy by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

Frey

Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusander Official Weigh-in Results

Kansas City, Mo.ย โ€” On Friday, July 20,ย Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusander. The eventย takes placeย from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, July 21, and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, the atomweight title will be on the line when Texas product Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) takes on Finlandโ€™s Minna Grusander (6-1).ย Frey is a former title challenger who will be making her seventh appearance inside the Invicta cage.ย Grusander, dubbed โ€œBrutsku,โ€ made a successful promotional debut at Invicta FC 28 in March.

The night’s co-main event takes place in the featherweight division as undefeatedย Felicia Spencer (4-0) takes on Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk (5-1).

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins.

Atomweight Title:ย Jinh Yu Frey (104.8) vs. Minna Grusander (104.7)
Featherweight:
Felicia Spencer (145.8) vs. Helena Kolesnyk (144.2)
Straweight:
Kinberly Novaes (116) vs. Heather Jo Clark (116)
Flyweight:
Miranda Maverick (125.1) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (125.8)
Bantamweight:
Kerri Kenneson (135.2) vs.ย Stephanie Geltmacher (135.5)
Atomweight:
Jillian DeCoursey (105.9) vs. Alesha Zappitella (105.5)
Atomweight:
Alyse Anderson (105.4) vs. Stephanie Alba (105.9)
Flyweight:
Erin Blanchfield (124.1) vs. Brittney Cloudy (125.9)


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

SpencerTTA

Through the Ashes: Felicia Spencer

Kansas City, Mo.ย โ€“ย Invicta Fighting Championships today released the second episode of โ€œThrough the Ashes,โ€ a documentary series produced by the promotion and presented by Victory Beef.

Each episode of the series chronicles the martial arts journey of a single Invicta athlete, including never-before-told stories of overcoming adversity inside and outside the cage.

Episode two features undefeated featherweight Felicia Spencer. The native Canadian, who now resides in Florida, has spent her entire professional career inside the Invicta cage, racking up four wins along the way. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt squares off with Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk in the co-main event of Invicta FC 30.

Spencer is a lifelong martial artist, growing up with taekwondo and BJJ. She balances a full plate as an algebra teacher, a BJJ professor and professional fighter. Despite the heavy workload, Spencer has a simple outlook toward the sport,ย “I just want to have fun and be remembered for doing that.”

Watch the full episode of ‘Through the Ashes’ below:

Invictaย FC 30 streams live and exclusively viaย UFC Fight Passย atย 8 p.m. ETย /ย 5 p.m. PTย onย Saturday, July 21.


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

Geltmacher

Stephanie Geltmacher Replaces Alexa Conners at Invicta FC 30

Kansas City, Mo.ย โ€” The fight card for Invicta FC 30 has changed once more.

Bantamweight Alexa Conners (5-2) has been forced to pull out of the event at the last minute. Her opponent, undefeated Kerri Kenneson (3-0), now welcomesย Stephanie Geltmacher (2-0) to the Invicta cage.

Geltmacher is a native of Hawaii, who now competes out of Oklahoma. Her resume includes All-American status as a wrestler, as well as World Team Trials experience.

Invicta FC 30 takes placeย Saturday, July 21, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT and is headlined by an atomweight title clash between Texas product Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) and Finland’s Minna Grusander (6-1).

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 30 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) vs. Minna Grusander (6-1)
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (4-0) vs. Helena Kolesnyk (5-1)
Straweight: Kinberly Novaes (9-4) vs. Heather Jo Clark (7-6)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (3-0) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (5-0)
Bantamweight: Kerri Kenneson (3-0) vs.ย Stephanie Geltmacher (2-0)
Atomweight: Jillian DeCoursey (2-0) vs. Alesha Zappitella (3-0, 1 NC)
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson (3-1) vs. Stephanie Alba (3-2, 1 NC)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (1-0) vs. Brittney Cloudy (0-0)

Tickets forย Invictaย FC 30 are on sale now viaย Ticketfly.com.


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

DeCoursey

Shino VanHoose Out, Jillian DeCoursey Steps in Against Alesha Zappitella at Invicta FC 30

Kansas City, Mo.ย โ€” The lineup for Invicta FC 30 has undergone a late change.

Atomweight Shino VanHoose (6-5) has been forced out of her scheduled match-up with promotional newcomerย Alesha Zappitella (3-0, 1 NC).

Stepping in on short-notice will be undefeated Jillian DeCoursey (2-0) of New York. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, DeCoursey was last in action in March, defeating Rebekah Levine at Invicta FC 28.

Invicta FC 30 takes placeย Saturday, July 21, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT and is headlined by an atomweight title clash between Texas product Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) and Finland’s Minna Grusander (6-1).

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 30 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) vs. Minna Grusander (6-1)
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (4-0) vs. Helena Kolesnyk (5-1)
Straweight: Kinberly Novaes (9-4) vs. Heather Jo Clark (7-6)
Bantamweight: Alexa Conners (5-2) vs. Kerri Kenneson (3-0)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (3-0) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (5-0)
Atomweight: Jillian DeCoursey (2-0) vs. Alesha Zappitella (3-0, 1 NC)
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson (3-1) vs. Stephanie Alba (3-2, 1 NC)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (1-0) vs. Brittney Cloudy (0-0)

Tickets forย Invictaย FC 30 are on sale now viaย Ticketfly.com.


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.