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Quest to regain belt ends in draw
Shevchenko and champion Alexa Grasso fought to a split draw (47-48, 48-47, 47-47) in their UFC Women's Flyweight title fight on Saturday at Noche UFC in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
There's a lot to dissect here. Depending on your point of view, Shevchenko was either lucky to emerge with the draw, or extremely unlikely she didn't regain the title. Rounds 1, 2, and 3 were clear as day, with Valentina winning the odd numbers and Grasso the second frame. Round 4 was closer, but likely deserved to go in favor of the current champion. Everything got screwy in Round 5. Shevchenko was working behind her jab and seemingly in full control, at which point Grasso somehow took her back, flattened her out, and then nearly submitted her. Judge Mike Bell scored the frame 10-8 for Grasso, which is difficult to justify considering she was losing most of the round. Virtually all of Valentina's success came behind her previously mentioned jab, plus her four successful takedowns. The bottom line is that these two seemed destined to fight again.
There's a lot to dissect here. Depending on your point of view, Shevchenko was either lucky to emerge with the draw, or extremely unlikely she didn't regain the title. Rounds 1, 2, and 3 were clear as day, with Valentina winning the odd numbers and Grasso the second frame. Round 4 was closer, but likely deserved to go in favor of the current champion. Everything got screwy in Round 5. Shevchenko was working behind her jab and seemingly in full control, at which point Grasso somehow took her back, flattened her out, and then nearly submitted her. Judge Mike Bell scored the frame 10-8 for Grasso, which is difficult to justify considering she was losing most of the round. Virtually all of Valentina's success came behind her previously mentioned jab, plus her four successful takedowns. The bottom line is that these two seemed destined to fight again.
Rematch with Grasso set
Shevchenko will fight Alexa Grasso in a flyweight bout at a UFC event on Sept. 16, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports Thursday.
ANALYSIS
Shevchenko is set for a rematch after she shocking dropped the UFC Women's Flyweight title to Grasso back in March. It was her first loss since 2017 to Amanda Nunes, and it snapped a nine-fight win streak for the 35 year-old fighter. She'll look to regain her title six months after she lost it.
Shevchenko is set for a rematch after she shocking dropped the UFC Women's Flyweight title to Grasso back in March. It was her first loss since 2017 to Amanda Nunes, and it snapped a nine-fight win streak for the 35 year-old fighter. She'll look to regain her title six months after she lost it.
Drops title in shocker
Shevchenko lost her UFC Women's Flyweight Championship on Saturday, falling to Alexa Grasso via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:34 of Round 4 at UFC 285 in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
The gap between Shevchenko and her challengers at 125 pounds has seemingly been getting smaller and smaller in recent years, and Grasso finally got her. While the result is obviously crushing, it's not as if Valentina fought poorly. She seemed to have some trouble with the striking of Grasso, but her wrestling game was on point. She landed 4-of-6 takedown attempts and kept Alexa pinned to the mat for long stretches of both the second and third rounds. Shevchenko was up 29-28 on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage, so, at worst, she would have had a chance to win the fight with a strong fifth round. It wasn't meant to be. Valentina said in her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that she wants an immediate rematch. Considering she had won nine straight fights entering this one, including seven defenses of her title, she's going to get it. Expect Shevchenko to be favored once again if the rematch does come to be.
The gap between Shevchenko and her challengers at 125 pounds has seemingly been getting smaller and smaller in recent years, and Grasso finally got her. While the result is obviously crushing, it's not as if Valentina fought poorly. She seemed to have some trouble with the striking of Grasso, but her wrestling game was on point. She landed 4-of-6 takedown attempts and kept Alexa pinned to the mat for long stretches of both the second and third rounds. Shevchenko was up 29-28 on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage, so, at worst, she would have had a chance to win the fight with a strong fifth round. It wasn't meant to be. Valentina said in her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that she wants an immediate rematch. Considering she had won nine straight fights entering this one, including seven defenses of her title, she's going to get it. Expect Shevchenko to be favored once again if the rematch does come to be.
To defend title at UFC 285
Shevchenko will defend her UFC Flyweight Championship against Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 on March 4 in Las Vegas, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Shevchenko will look to defend her title for the eight-straight time when she faces off with an experienced fighter in Alexa Grasso (7-3 in the UFC). Shevchenko, who most recently defeated Talia Santos in an extremely close split decision, has not lost a fight since September 2017.
Shevchenko will look to defend her title for the eight-straight time when she faces off with an experienced fighter in Alexa Grasso (7-3 in the UFC). Shevchenko, who most recently defeated Talia Santos in an extremely close split decision, has not lost a fight since September 2017.
Barely retains flyweight title
Shevchenko successfully retained her UFC Women's Flyweight Championship on Saturday, defeating Taila Santos via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) at UFC 275 in Singapore.
ANALYSIS
It was unquestionably Shevchenko's most difficult title defense yet and one in which she very easily could have lost her belt. For the better part of three rounds, Valentina did little. Actually, that's not exactly true. What she did was find herself planted on the mat for extended periods at a time by a surprisingly game Santos. The Brazilian thrived in the clinch against Valentina, an area in which virtually everyone who came before her failed. Shevchenko caught a break midway through Round 3 when an accidental headbutt resulted in Santos being left with essentially one working eye the remainder of the bout. Valentina took full advantage in easily winning the final two rounds, but a case can very easily be made Santos won the first three. Shevchenko has won nine fights in a row. Her last loss came against Amanda Nunes in September 2017. Valentina has been untouchable at flyweight, but there have been some middling performances in there. Considering Valentina's all-around skill set and her reputation as one of the sport's hardest workers, don't be shocked if a close fight like this one serves as a wake-up call and we see the very best from her in her next bout.
It was unquestionably Shevchenko's most difficult title defense yet and one in which she very easily could have lost her belt. For the better part of three rounds, Valentina did little. Actually, that's not exactly true. What she did was find herself planted on the mat for extended periods at a time by a surprisingly game Santos. The Brazilian thrived in the clinch against Valentina, an area in which virtually everyone who came before her failed. Shevchenko caught a break midway through Round 3 when an accidental headbutt resulted in Santos being left with essentially one working eye the remainder of the bout. Valentina took full advantage in easily winning the final two rounds, but a case can very easily be made Santos won the first three. Shevchenko has won nine fights in a row. Her last loss came against Amanda Nunes in September 2017. Valentina has been untouchable at flyweight, but there have been some middling performances in there. Considering Valentina's all-around skill set and her reputation as one of the sport's hardest workers, don't be shocked if a close fight like this one serves as a wake-up call and we see the very best from her in her next bout.