LAS VEGAS – Alexa Grasso thinks there’s something of an ongoing unofficial tournament in the women’s flyweight division to determine who is next for longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko.
Grasso (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is scheduled to meet Viviane Araujo (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 212 headliner, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex and streams on ESPN+. It’s a key fight for the division, and comes one week ahead of another crucial matchup between Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot at UFC 280.
It’s Grasso’s belief that the UFC brass, as well as Shevchenko (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC), will be closely monitoring both bouts to see how they unfold. If Grasso shines brightest, she likes her chances of securing a title opportunity.
“I hope so,” Grasso told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC Fight Night 212 media day. “Maybe. Could be. I don’t know. I have no idea what the matchmakers are planning, but they are doing a great job. This was not the main option for the main event – they trusted in us. They are allowing us to do a preview of what could be a title fight because it’s 25 minutes.
“There’s another important fight next weekend with Fiorot vs. Chookagian. I think we’re kind of in the semifinals. We’re the four, and the one who makes the best performance I think the champion is going to look at the one who does the best.”
After beginning her UFC career as a strawweight, Grasso is 3-0 since moving up to 125 pounds in August 2020. She’s defeated solid competition in Joanne Wood, Maycee Barber and Ji Yeon Kim, but she said this fight will be very revealing of where she stands.
The UFC has tried to book the fight with Araujo on multiple occasions but it has failed to materialize. It’s here now, though, and on a bigger platform than ever. It won’t be an easy win, but Grasso thinks she’s done the right things to ensure victory when she steps in the octagon.
“I think this is a fight that had to happen,” Grasso said. “We are similar in the rankings – like one spot. Sometimes she was up, right now I am up. We are pretty similar in stats, we are super close in every area. It’s a nice matchup for both of us.
“She’s the toughest opponent I’ve trained for. She moves a lot, she has strong hands and her strongest weapon is her jiu-jitsu. She’s a black belt and I think this is a great challenge for me. I’ve been improving a lot my jiu-jitsu game.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 212.
