Alexa Grasso did the unthinkable on Saturday at UFC 285, defeating Valentina Shevchenko to become the new flyweight champion.
Widely overlooked in the buildup to the bout, Grasso had strengths that were dismissed when compared to Shevchenko’s striking and grappler. But the beauty of the fighting spirit was on full display, as Grasso executed a tenacious game plan and forced Shevchenko to tap out in the fourth round in a massive upset.
“I was extreme with my discipline, extreme with my conditioning and extreme with my game plan,” says Grasso. “That’s the only way I could win this fight.”
The victory marked only the second submission victory of Grasso’s career—and, remarkably, the first time Shevchenko tapped. The moment of the winning sequence was rapid, unfolding in the immediate aftermath of a missed spinning back kick from Shevchenko.
Grasso seized control of Shevchenko’s back, then locked the back of her hand onto Shevchenko’s neck. This was a specific moment Grasso had been awaiting. Her coaching staff had spent multiple sessions implementing a perfect counter attack to Shevchenko’s back kick, and, when that opportunity finally did arise, Grasso was flawless in her technique.
“That was the result of hard work,” says Grasso. “We trained for that all camp. When she was spinning, that was my opportunity to take her back. I needed to be perfect, so we trained very, very, very much.
“Once I got the choke, my coach always tells me to count. I’m supposed to count and squeeze. One, squeeze, two, squeeze, three, squeeze, four, squeeze. I got all the way 12 against Valentina. Then she tapped.”
Grasso (16–3) was not expected to defeat Shevchenko, but when they meet again in a rematch, she will be the one who enters as champion. Shevchenko (23–4) looked a step slower than her traditional elite self, and she will be 35 when she gets her rematch, giving more credence to the notion that this is Grasso’s time. Despite the fact that 285 was not Shevchenko’s best showing, she still caused a number of problems throughout the fight with her level changes and takedowns.
A key moment occurred in the first round when Grasso rocked Shevchenko with a left hand. From that point forward, Shevchenko was wary of striking with Grasso, preferring grappling to standing. Ultimately, that proved to be a costly decision for Shevchenko.
“I noticed that,” says Grasso. “The moment I hit her, she changed her game plan. She’s fast and she’s a great athlete, and she was able to bring me to the floor, so I fought to escape every position.”
Shevchenko again proved she is a master of adjustment. But Grasso fought with urgency, capitalizing on a rare opening to make Shevchenko tap.
Grasso made history with the win, becoming the first woman from Mexico to win UFC gold.
“It means the world to me that I can do this for Mexico,” says Grasso. “I am also so happy to do this for my coaches and team.
“I’ve been training for this moment for so long. I’m so happy for all I’ve achieved. I can’t be happier than I am now. I’ve worked every single day of my life to achieve it.”
Francis Ngannou should be next in line for Jon Jones after Stipe Miocic
UFC president Dana White has been quick to dismiss any chance of Ngannou returning to the UFC any time soon.
And that should make you think there is a real chance it is going to happen.
My ears raise each time White claims Ngannou will not be returning. For now, it makes no difference—Jon Jones is the new UFC heavyweight champion, defeating Ciryl Gane at 285, and the spotlight is squarely on him. If Gane had won, that would have caused a conundrum for the UFC; how could you have an undisputed champion who lost to Ngannou? But that is a nonfactor, as Jones absolutely dominated Gane to become the new champ.
The future is clear for Jones. He will defend the belt against former two-time champ Miocic, a fighter who makes a convincing argument as the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. That is the exact type of opponent Jones needs in his pursuit of cementing himself as the greatest of all time. For now, it is also the only opponent that makes sense. But what happens after that if Jones defeats Miocic?
If Jones and Miocic headline International Fight Week in July, that would put Jones on pace to fight again in December or January. There is no opponent in the world that makes more sense for Jones than Ngannou. Considering he is still recovering from injury, Ngannou would be fully healthy by the end of the year. It would provide a definitive answer to who is the best heavyweight in the world and would be the blockbuster bout that the UFC needs.
Unless Jones retires after the Miocic fight, the only opponent left for him after that is Ngannou.
Can Ciryl Gane recover from devastating loss at UFC 285?
Gane barely lasted two minutes in the cage with Jon Jones before tapping out.
Will he ever recover from the loss?
Gane (11–2) is still relatively new to the sport, but this seemed like the type of loss from which someone simply doesn’t recover. He was not even competitive.
The only time Gane hit Jones was a shot beneath the waist to open the fight. When action resumed, Jones ducked a punch, brought Gane to the ground, then applied his guillotine choke. For Gane, it was one of the most disappointing performances on this type of stage in UFC history.
Jones’s last two opponents have struggled to find their place, and it certainly appears a similar path will follow for Gane. After ripping off a dozen straight wins, Dominick Reyes took Jones to the limit in February 2020 before losing by decision. He has yet to win since, losing his next three in a row. Thiago Santos had won four in a row before fighting Jones in July ’19. Following the loss to Jones, he has lost four of five.
If Gane can ever put himself back in contention for the heavyweight title, it will be remarkable. Until then, there is a long road to travel after such a dismal performance.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com . Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
