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Alexa Grasso has unfinished business with UFC women's flyweight champion and MMA legend Valentina Shevchenko.
The two have fought three times, going 1-1-1 in championship fights. Grasso (16-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) won the first bout, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in modern MMA history back at UFC 285 in 2023. The second one went down a few months later that same year, and they fought to a draw in the main event of the first-ever Noche UFC. The third bout came at UFC 306 (Noche UFC 2) in 2024, and that time Shevchenko went home with a dominant decision win.
Grasso, who's coming off a loss to Natalia Silva in her first fight since the Shevchenko trilogy, hopes to work her way back to a position where she can settle the score with the all-time great.
"I would love to, I swear," Grasso told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "Valentina is a woman I admired a lot throughout my entire career. She's an incredible woman, and a very technical athlete. For me, to have competed with her so many times, I think I'm the toughest opponent she's faced. For me, it's something I'm proud of. I'm proud of having reached that level. I know I made many mistakes in that last fight; I know it. But trust me, since then, I've been working like never before in my life to be able to fix that and be able to improve. I hope I get another opportunity to fight with her. I would love to. I know what I'm capable of, and I'm aware of my mistakes. I'm excited about the idea of getting another chance against her."
Grasso returns to the cage this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 271 (Paramount+), which takes place at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. She takes on top contender Maycee Barber in a rematch. The Mexican star hopes to get back to her winning ways. She doesn't think a win over Barber gets her that shot at Shevchenko, but it's a step in the right direction.
"She's lower in the rankings," Grasso said. "I think I would need this one and then another one to start thinking about being in that line. Right now, Natalia is up next. Manon Fiorot is there, and Erin (Blanchfield). I'm once again working my way back up, and I'm working hard so I can be on top again and be able to get to the title. But first things are first: I need a win, and then we'll see what happens."
Grasso's last win came in her shocking title victory over Shevcheko in 2023. This is the first time in her career that she's suffered back-to-back defeats. The Lobo Gym product admits it hasn't been easy to deal with this rut, but she's also kept very positive.
"I can't lie to you, it's been tough, but you have two options: you either stay sad, or you do something about it," Grasso said. "I told myself, 'No. I need to improve. I need to change things,' and I'm telling you, I've been working so hard, like you have no idea. Since my last fight, I've been working very hard. Being at the top, it's hard, but also very cool."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alexa Grasso wants one more shot at UFC champ Valentina Shevchenko
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The two have fought three times, going 1-1-1 in championship fights. Grasso (16-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) won the first bout, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in modern MMA history back at UFC 285 in 2023. The second one went down a few months later that same year, and they fought to a draw in the main event of the first-ever Noche UFC. The third bout came at UFC 306 (Noche UFC 2) in 2024, and that time Shevchenko went home with a dominant decision win.
Grasso, who's coming off a loss to Natalia Silva in her first fight since the Shevchenko trilogy, hopes to work her way back to a position where she can settle the score with the all-time great.
"I would love to, I swear," Grasso told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "Valentina is a woman I admired a lot throughout my entire career. She's an incredible woman, and a very technical athlete. For me, to have competed with her so many times, I think I'm the toughest opponent she's faced. For me, it's something I'm proud of. I'm proud of having reached that level. I know I made many mistakes in that last fight; I know it. But trust me, since then, I've been working like never before in my life to be able to fix that and be able to improve. I hope I get another opportunity to fight with her. I would love to. I know what I'm capable of, and I'm aware of my mistakes. I'm excited about the idea of getting another chance against her."
Grasso returns to the cage this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 271 (Paramount+), which takes place at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. She takes on top contender Maycee Barber in a rematch. The Mexican star hopes to get back to her winning ways. She doesn't think a win over Barber gets her that shot at Shevchenko, but it's a step in the right direction.
"She's lower in the rankings," Grasso said. "I think I would need this one and then another one to start thinking about being in that line. Right now, Natalia is up next. Manon Fiorot is there, and Erin (Blanchfield). I'm once again working my way back up, and I'm working hard so I can be on top again and be able to get to the title. But first things are first: I need a win, and then we'll see what happens."
Grasso's last win came in her shocking title victory over Shevcheko in 2023. This is the first time in her career that she's suffered back-to-back defeats. The Lobo Gym product admits it hasn't been easy to deal with this rut, but she's also kept very positive.
"I can't lie to you, it's been tough, but you have two options: you either stay sad, or you do something about it," Grasso said. "I told myself, 'No. I need to improve. I need to change things,' and I'm telling you, I've been working so hard, like you have no idea. Since my last fight, I've been working very hard. Being at the top, it's hard, but also very cool."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alexa Grasso wants one more shot at UFC champ Valentina Shevchenko
Continue reading...
