Invicta FC 39 headliners Jinh Yu Frey, Ashley Cummins want UFC to add atomweight division

Invicta FC 39 won’t be the first time Jinh Yu Frey and Ashley Cummins face off.

Two of the world’s top atomweights, Frey (8-4) and Cummins (7-4) fought two and a half years ago at Invicta FC 24 in July 2017. Unlike Friday night’s rematch, their initial meeting wasn’t for championship gold. After three rounds of fighting, Frey was named the victor by unanimous decision.

Though they spent 15 minutes familiarizing themselves with one another, neither fighter thinks there’s much knowledge they can bring into their second fight in 2020.

“I haven’t gone back and watched it,” Frey told MMA Junkie. “She’s switched camps since then. I’ve changed coaches since then. That was almost two and a half years ago. A lot has changed since then, so I’m not going to base my training too heavily on how the previous fight went.”

Both fighters agree there isn’t much to be learned from rewatching the first fight. That’s not to say Frey and Cummins haven’t been preparing specifically for one another since July 2017.

The two were supposed to fight in October at Invicta FC 37, but Jinh pulled out late with an injury. According to Cummins, the fight was also previously booked a third time, but never came to fruition.

“This is the third time the fight has been scheduled,” Cummins told MMA Junkie. “We were supposed to fight in October. I did an entire camp. A little more than a week out, it got canceled. Before that, it was scheduled again. (Invicta FC president) Shannon (Knapp) called my coach and said we were fighting for the belt. I was just waiting on a contract. I was in camp for about two weeks and I found out Jinh was fighting for a belt in Asia, instead.”

For Cummins, the motivation to take this fight was simple. She wants to erase the loss on her record – and win a belt in the process.

“My only loss at 105 pounds is to Jinh, so I’m looking to avenge my only loss at this weight class and become a world champion,” Cummins said. “Becoming a world champion has been my goal since day one when I started training 13 years ago.”

On the other and, Frey’s incentive to take a fight against someone she already beat was a little more complex. Regardless of who’s in the on-deck circle, Frey wants to face the toughest challenges out there. At atomweight right now, that’s Cummins.

“Anybody who is willing to challenge me for my spot, I’m willing to take them on whether I’ve fought them before or not,” Frey said. “I’m defending my territory.”

Both fighters are happy representing Invicta, but neither would deny their interest in joining the UFC should that opportunity come about – especially Cummins. Frey is a little less optimistic, but didn’t rule out the possibility.

“I’ve heard a lot of rumors that say maybe the UFC is starting to look into the atomweight division,” Frey said. “I’m going to be 35 this year and I’m hanging in there as long as I can. We’ll see. I’m not basing my hopes at the start they’ll start a division. … I’m just taking it one fight at a time.”

“Every day I say a little prayer the UFC is finally going to start the atomweight division,” Cummins said. “That’s been the goal – to be a UFC fighter. I want to be a world champ and I want to be a UFC fighter. Hopefully 2020 will be the year (the UFC) finally starts the atomweight division.”

Invicta FC 39 takes place Friday at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The card streams on UFC Fight Pass.