Female Champions Ready for War

Posted on February 21, 2014

        By Sandy Hackenmueller

Being witness to top notch fighters as they battle it out is nothing new to Friday Night Fight fans. Next Friday night, be ready for two incredible female forces as they intend to ignite the ring like never before!

Angie “Overkill” Hill will battle Ashley Nichols in what promises to be an explosive fight. Hill, a New Yorker who trains with Evolution Muay Thai in Manhattan, currently holds a 1-0 pro record, but don’t let that fool you. Her amateur record stands at 14-0, with 4 KOs.

Nichols is from the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation of Canada, located in Southern, Ontario. She trains at the MAS Academy of Martial Arts in Cambridge, Ontario. Nichols currently holds a 3-0 pro record, but don’t let that fool you. She was 20-4 as an amateur fighter, and is an international Muay Thai World Champion in four governing bodies. She also is a nine-belt champion in multiple martial arts.

Hill is known for her aggressive, hard-hitting style. Nichols is known for the diversity and style that she likes to bring with her combinations, while keeping one step ahead of her opponent.

“I have been training mentally outside of the ring for focus and clarity, and in the ring physically, training with intensity in order to perform at my best for this fight,” said Nichols. She is aware that Hill likes to use her hands and has an aggressive style, and Nichols is training her strengths and counters accordingly.

Hill is making adjustments as well. “I know Ashley fights at a heavier weight class, so I’ve added more strength and conditioning into my routine,” she said.

Hill’s last opponent was Monique Travis, also an undefeated amateur. “We fought live on TV” said Hill. “That was the same card featuring great fighters like Cris Cyborg, Kevin Ross, and Cosmo Alexander. The whole experience was pretty intimidating, but we both played it off well. I wasn’t crazy happy with my performance, but I won every round that fight.”

Nichols’ last opponent was from Thailand. Despite her loss, she said, “It was a good fight! We utilized all ranges of techniques and had a review of Fight of the Night in the semi-finals summary! We faced off in the semi-finals at the Sport Accord World Combat Games tournament held in St. Petersburg, Russia in October.

“I represented Canada in the 54 kg division and placed 3rd out of the eight qualifying countries. The split decision win was awarded to Thailand, who also won the finals. It was an awesome opportunity to face such an experienced opponent,” said Nichols.

With such impressive fight histories, both women hope to inspire other fighters. “I hope to always inspire others to persevere and grow from challenges, and to stay dedicated to the goals they set,” said Nichols. “I hope to awaken confidence and motivation in those who are just beginning their training or fight journey!”

“I’ve gotten many messages from women, especially black women, saying that I inspire them to train and fight, which is awesome!” said Hill. “In Muay Thai and MMA we have so few superstars, so to be able to contribute to the growth of the sport is always a great feeling.

“Also, I feel like there’s still a ton of pressure for female athletes to look like conventional women at any given time,” Hill continued. “I hope that by putting myself out there and fighting like a monster, I can show people that it’s ok to grow muscles, grunt and make crazy faces as long as you get the job done!”

Getting the job done definitely comes with challenges, regardless of skill level. Hill expects Nichols to bring it even harder than before, since they are competing for the WKA North American Pro Title. “Also, this will be my first time fighting an opponent with a height and reach advantage,” said Hill. “Then again, most of my teammates have that on me, so it may be more familiar. Bottom line is, I know she’s going to be tough, so taking her out early would be ideal!”

Nichols has found it challenging to get her weight down in three weeks, and juggle the various obligations outside of the ring. “Graduation from my program in college is just a couple of months away,” she said. “Communicating with professors to take the time off of school during a busy semester is challenging. But, I wouldn’t have accepted if I didn’t have such an awesome community around me who are supportive to these dreams! These challenges are also opportunities.”

Both fighters have goals they’d like to meet as 2014 progresses. “I would like to place at Worlds again this year,” said Nichols. “I’d like to earn my blue belt for Brazilian JiuJitsu, and put on a great fight at FNFMT!”

“I’m still working on making that MMA debut,” said Hill. “So far it’s been pretty hard to lock in opponents. Nevertheless, after this fight, I’m immediately hitting the mats.”

Each fighter credits friends, family and teammates for joining them and supporting them on their journey so far. “First and foremost, I’d like to thank my coach for bringing me this far in my career!” said Hill. “Also, I’d like to thank my husband and fellow fighter Adam, all of my teammates for pushing me, and my family, gym and fans for all their support.”

Nichols said she is very grateful to Friday Night Fights for inviting her to fight and giving her this opportunity. “It is always a blast to fight in NYC,” she said. “The fights and the crowd are always amazing! I’d also like to thank my coaches Ajahn Yit, Elroy Myers, Kru Jeff, and most of all Kru Chris for his continued support and for always believing in me! I’d like to thank my team at MAS for always staying dedicated together in training, teaching, and traveling for Muay Thai. We have a lot of heart, much love and respect for Muay Thai, so getting this opportunity to represent my team and teachers is a great honor.”

Tickets are available now at http://fridaynightfights.com and are going fast! Get yours now!

BE THERE!