Alesha Zappitella stopped veteran Ashley Cummins for the vacant atomweight belt in the main event of Invicta FC 42 in Kansas City.
The back-and-forth fight went into the championship rounds before Zappitella brought home the gold.
She submitted Cummins (7-6) at the 1:20 mark of the fourth round with a Von Flue choke to become 105-pound champion.
“Honestly everything feels so surreal, this is a fight I’ve been asking for this fight for so long, and it’s here,” Zappitella said after the fight.
Invicta FC 42 weigh-in results: COVID scratches two fights, but title bout is on #UFCFightisland3 #UFC252 #UFCFightnight #Bellator242#UFC253 pic.twitter.com/7gq9B4Ja7X
— MMA Hype Watch (@MMAHWatch) September 17, 2020
“I felt like Ashley was going to want this so bad, she was going to come out guns blazing and I thought I’d have to feel it out,” Zappitella said.
Indeed Zappitella seemed to have things figured out. She has a strong ground game, and she used a low single to score a smooth takedown early in the third, then landed heavy elbows from top position.
With her second career submission win, Zappitella has won three in a row. Cummins has lost two straight bouts, both matchups for the vacant Invicta atomweight title.
Complete Invicta FC 42 results:
Alesha Zappitella def. Ashley Cummins via submission (Von Flue choke) — Round 4, 1:20 (wins vacant Invicta FC atomweight title)
Lisa Verzosa (134.5) vs. Raquel Canuto (135.6) Jessica Delboni def. Herica Tiburcio via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Victoria Leonardo def. Liz Tracy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Helen Peralta def. Jennifer Chieng via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
