Holland withstands onslaught and pulls off Northern Combat Invitational 13  main event win

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — After a dozen minutes of weathering her opponents’ storm, Jessica Holland bided her time in seizing an arm to make history.

The Dawson Creek Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist got the submission victory over Grande Prairie’s Ashleigh Bartelds to take the victory in the main event at the Northern Combat Invitational (NCI) 13 show on March 8th at the Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre.

Holland won the inaugural NCI lightweight title. Afterward, she praised her opponent, who had dominated from the top position during a ten-minute regulation period that necessitated a five-minute overtime.

She said it felt “beautiful” to win a belt and headline the all-women’s main card on International Women’s Day. 

“I’ve been in talks with [promoter] Clint Parker to do an all-women’s event,” said Holland. “We’re working to get an entire [women’s] card.

“It means the world.  It’s always been a big thing for me, ever since starting martial arts years ago. Having all these women show their heart and do their thing was worth it, belt or not.”

It was a bittersweet ending for Bartelds, who had applied constant pressure during the matchup after surviving a deep guillotine choke early on.  Still, she didn’t make any excuses.

“I rushed it at the end [and] got too excited,” said Bartelds, whose mother Amanda lost by armbar submission in the co-feature. “Losses shouldn’t break my heart but they do, but I got to remember it’s all experience in the end.”

Ashleigh added that being on the same card as her mother was “an honour and a privilege.” 

The elder Bartelds lost just before the eight-minute mark to Fort St. John’s Brooklyn Jodoin, and named her daughter “the inspiration” for her journey into martial arts.

“It started when I was 30 with taekwondo, and then [we] moved into kickboxing,” said Amanda. “[Then] five years ago, we both branched into BJJ as something to challenge ourselves a little further.

“[Brooklyn] was tough. She was strong, I had to pretty much fight and try to do what I could. In the end, she got a quick one on me. One wrong turn. It happens.”

Clint Parker, who runs Charlie Lake’s Northern Combat Club, promoted the event. Eventgoers were treated to a seven-fight preliminary card and a temporary “flash tattoo” table.

The intermission between the preliminary and main cards featured a weapons and taekwondo demonstration by Gladiators Martial Arts Academy out of Grande Prairie. 

Parker, who promoted a card at the Royal Canadian Legion in January, said a third Fort St. John show in 2025 will happen in September.

“I’m happy with the turnout [tonight],” said Parker. “Honestly, I didn’t think it’d be quite this good. The atmosphere [was] good. We got a ton of submissions.”

Highlights of the main card included Iron Forge MMA’s Cass Murray who beat Fort Nelson’s Hillary Sheppard and the tilt between Iron Forge’s Nicole Lovett and Dawson Creek’s Kendra Pawlyshyn.

The latter contest was a see-saw battle, earning “Fight of the Night” honours in a time-limit draw.

The next NCI will be NCI 14 at Fort Nelson’s Phoenix Theatre on May 10th.  Further details about NCI is available on Northern Combat Club’s Facebook page.