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Medusa 2 results and highlights: Sophia Cassella, Aislinn O’Connell win titles

Ben Coate

The second Medusa female-only jiu-jitsu event took place on Saturday, March 12. Two new champions were crowned, as Sophia Cassella captured the EBI strawweight title, and Aislinn O’Connell won the combat jiu-jitsu (CJJ) bantamweight title.

The card featured a pair of eight-woman tournaments — an EBI rules tournament at strawweight, and a CJJ tournament at bantamweight.

After a tough opening round match that she won on escape time, Cassella made quick work of her semifinal and final-round opponents, quickly submitting them with leg locks. The Serra BJJ and Tom DeBlass-trained Cassella is quickly becoming a name to watch in the high-level no-gi scene. She can now add Medusa champion to her list of accolades that includes two Finishers Sub-Only titles and a purple belt no-gi Pans title.

And in CJJ action, purple belt Aislinn O’Connell turned heads with wins over dangerous opponents, including UFC fighter Vanessa Demopoulos in the first round and elite no-gi competitor Fatima Kline in the finals.

View the full Medusa 2 results and highlights below.

EBI rules strawweight tournament quarterfinals

  • Sophia Cassella def. Brittany Way via escape time in OT
  • Andrea Vazquez def. Alesha Zappitella via guillotine choke
  • Kiaya Jackson def. Macy Breaux via rear-naked choke
  • Sarah Elizabeth def. Mattie Brown via arm lock

CJJ bantamweight tournament quarterfinals

  • Claire North def. Nikki Sullivan via arm triangle
  • Fatima Kline def. Kayla Patterson via toehold
  • Aislinn O’Connell def. Vanessa Demopolous via rear-naked choke in OT
  • Jennifer Rivera def. Erin Johnson via armbar in OT

EBI rules strawweight tournament semifinals

  • Sophia Cassella def. Andrea Vazquez via heel hook
  • Kiaya Jackson def. Sarah Elizabeth via rear-naked choke

Special match

  • Randi Miley def. Alesha Zappitella via armbar

CJJ bantamweight tournament semifinals

  • Fatima Kline def. Claire North via heel hook
  • Aislinn O’Connell def. Jennifer Rivera via rear-naked choke

CJJ special match

  • Bre Stikkelman def. Jennifer Perez via rear-naked choke

EBI rules strawweight tournament final

  • Sophia Cassella def. Kiaya Jackson via Aoki lock

CJJ bantamweight tournament final

  • Aislinn O’Connell def. Fatima Kline via rear-naked choke in OT

Ben Coate

Ben has been involved with grappling, whether through wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, essentially his entire life. After wrestling throughout his childhood, Ben found Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a young adult and quickly fell in love. He has been training for over ten years and currently holds the rank of brown belt, and remains involved in both the MMA and BJJ scene. Ben has been writing about combat sports since 2017. He has interviewed and profiled some of MMA's biggest stars, including multiple UFC champions.

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