Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko faced off in a highly anticipated rematch for the women’s flyweight title at Noche UFC. The fight ended in a split draw, leaving the championship status undecided.
The first round showed Shevchenko’s offensive intentionality, while Grasso was able to hold her own. Both fighters had their moments, with Shevchenko securing a takedown and Grasso landing a significant knockdown.
The second round was close, with Shevchenko potentially edging it out with a takedown. However, Grasso’s performance throughout the fight made her a new benchmark for women’s mixed martial arts (WMMA), according to some commentators.
The third round saw Shevchenko executing a topside guillotine on Grasso, who fought back to free herself. Shevchenko continued to dominate in the fourth round with another takedown, further solidifying her position.
The fifth round showcased a dynamic battle between the two fighters. Shevchenko took control in the first half, winning the boxing exchanges. However, Grasso capitalized on a mistake Shevchenko, leading to a dramatic finish with Grasso landing powerful strikes.
Ultimately, the judges scored the fight as a split draw. While some felt Shevchenko should have been declared the winner, others argued for Grasso. Regardless of the decision, it was clear that both fighters put on a spectacular show.
This draw makes it the sixth draw in UFC championship history, joining the likes of notable fights such as Uno-Penn, Maynard-Edgar, Woodley-Thompson, Blachowicz-Ankalaev, and Moreno-Figueiredo.
Sources:
- Twitter Reactions to Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko at Noche UFC. Retrieved from Twitter accounts of Luke Thomas, Teddy Atlas, Yves Edwards, Andreas Hale, Jed Meshew II, Tommy Toe Hold, Mookie Alexander, Cageside Press, Aaron Bronsteter, John Morgan, Kevin Iole, Caposa, Matthew Wells, Belal Muhammad, Angela Hill, Daniel Rubenstein, Terrence McKinney, Michael Bisping, Mike Perry, Michael Carroll, and Belal Muhammad.
