Valentina Shevchenko fell simply brief in her bid to reclaim the UFC ladies’s flyweight title towards Alexa Grasso this night.
Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA) and Grasso (16-3-1 MMA) squared off for a second time tonight in Las Vegas. The pair had beforehand collided at UFC 285 again in March, the place Grasso shocked the world by scoring a fourth-round submission victory over the longtime champion.
Previous to that setback, ‘The Bullet’ had strung collectively a nine-fight win streak which included seven consecutive title defenses.
As for Grasso, previous to her title-earning submission win over Valentina Shevchenko, the Mexican standout was on a four-fighting profitable streak defeating the likes of Kim Ji-yeon, Maycee Barber, Joanne Wooden and Viviane Araujo.
Tonight’s rematch resulted in a really aggressive five-round contest. Shevchenko had a powerful opening spherical, however wound up getting dropped by Grasso in Spherical 2 (see that right here). ‘The Bullet’ proceeded to rebound in Spherical 3, however rounds 4 and 5 weren’t precisely definitive.
After twenty-five minutes of motion the bout was dominated a break up draw (48-47, 47-48, 47-47) permitting Alexa Grasso to as soon as once more take residence the flyweight title.
Shortly following the conclusion of tonight’s occasion, Valentina Shevchenko spoke with TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter the place she addressed the disappointing end result.
“I felt it’s slightly bit unfair,” Shevchenko responded when requested if she felt robbed. “I felt it was three rounds my facet. Like two rounds her facet. I felt the 10-8 (spherical) is type of like fully not proper.”
Valentina Shevchenko continued:
“However I really feel that perhaps the stress of Mexican Independence Day, it was like affecting the judges choice. I’m pleased that I did the whole lot to one of the best that I can. To offer all followers one of the best struggle that I might give. So that is what I’m happy with.”
Take a look at the total video interview beneath (through X):
Full post-fight interview with @BulletValentina on the 10-8 spherical, her damage, whether or not she believes a trilogy is subsequent and extra pic.twitter.com/1I2Y3tfFQx
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 17, 2023
Would you prefer to see Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso run it again a 3rd time following tonight’s controversial lead to Las Vegas?
