One of MMA’s top female prospects, Ashley “Smashley” Cummins, is set to compete for the second time as a professional on January 28th at NAAFS: “Caged Fury 16” in Morgantown, West Virginia. Cummins faces talented striker Stephanie “Macaquinha” Frausto in a featured bout on the card.
MMARising.com confirmed the fight with NAAFS officials today. Cummins amassed a stellar 8-0 amateur record before capturing the XFL 115-pound women’s title in her November pro debut. Frausto recently relocated to Ohio and has remained active in grappling since her last MMA bout in 2010.
Cummins (1-0-0), who maintains a career as a St. Louis police officer outside of MMA, earned titles in Tuff-N-Uff and HOOKnSHOOT as an amateur and made a big statement in her pro debut seven weeks ago. Facing a more experienced opponent, Cummins engaged in a back-and-forth battle with then-XFL champion Chelsea “The Italian Princess” Colarelli through four rounds before eventually forcing Colarelli to submit to a rear-naked choke in round five. The win earned Cummins the Xtreme Fighting League 115-pound title and she had planned to return to action on a local St. Louis card next weekend, but the promotion was unable to secure an opponent. She now faces Frausto for NAAFS instead.
Frausto (2-3-0) opened her career with two TKO victories in her first three fights before taking a big step up in competition to face veteran Lisa Ellis-Ward at Bellator 22. Her last MMA bout came in September 2010 in a hotly-contested Split Decision defeat to Paulina “Sweetness” Ramirez. Frausto later relocated to Ohio alongside sister Zoila and has since trained extensively in jiu-jitsu to complement her formidable striking skills. During the hiatus from MMA, Frausto has medalled in multiple grappling tournaments, but ring rust may play a factor for the 21-year-old when she steps back into the cage this month.
North American Allied Fight Series: “Caged Fury 16” takes place on January 28th at the Morgantown Events Center in Morgantown, West Virginia and marks the Ohio-based promotion’s debut in the state.