Chippewas of the Thames First Nation MMA fighter preparing for title bout
By Sam Laskaris
ST. CATHARINES – Ashley Nichols believes she can have a life-changing moment later this month.
Nichols, 36, is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who is gearing up for the most important match of her career thus far.
Nichols, a member of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, will be competing for the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) straw-weight (maximum 115 pounds) championship on Sept. 16. The fight will be staged at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Nichols’ opponent will be the current titleholder, Jacqueline Amorim of Brazil.
“It could define my career,” Nichols said of her upcoming bout. “It could change my life if I win this title.”
The LFA is not considered one of the elite MMA organizations, but success at this level could potentially lead to much bigger and better things.
“A lot of the fighters in the LFA, if they win a title, they will get a call to a better promotion,” Nichols said.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is currently the best MMA organization. And yes, Nichols aspires to be a fighter in the UFC and have some potentially lucrative paydays.
Nichols has had her share of ups and downs in her athletic career. Last decade, she won both amateur and pro world Muay Thai championships. Muay Thai is a combat sport that features various striking techniques.
Nichols decided to have her first MMA pro fight in 2013.
“After losing to my opponent at that event, I decided to get much more experience,” Nichols said, adding she continued to hone her Muay Thai skills to eventually help her MMA matches.
Upon returning to MMA fighting in 2017, Nichols won three straight matches, but then suffered back-to-back losses in 2018.
“I then took another break,” Nichols said, adding she was keen to study holistic nutrition and also take a break to refresh mentally.
After a somewhat lengthy break, Nichols decided to return to the sport once again. This past February, she won her first fight back. That event was held at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.
“I felt like I was among my people on Indigenous land,” Nichols said.
Plus, she also found out she still has some more to give to the sport.
“I wasn’t sure where my skill-set was at and if I was at the level I wanted to be at to compete again,” she said.
The fact she now has an LFA title shot is proof that others are confident Nichols still has some fight in her. And she likes her chances of winning this month’s bout.
“She’s very skilled in grappling,” Nichols said of Amorim. “My strength is Muay Thai and striking. She’s going to try to take me down, but I’m going to try to keep it to a striking fight.”
Nichols’ pro MMA record is 4-3-0. Amorim, who is 27, is undefeated in the pro ranks, having won all five of her matches thus far.
“I don’t underestimate my opponent,” Nichols added. “I’m going to respect her skills, but I’m confident in my skill-set.”