Valentina Shevchenko isn’t vibing with Alexa Grasso’s take on what she needs to do in order to regain the women’s flyweight title at UFC 306.
Ahead of the first women’s trilogy fight in company history at Noche UFC on Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews), reigning champion Grasso (16-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) told MMA Junkie that she thinks Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC) “waits too much” when fighting and needs to compete with some aggression when they meet for the third consecutive time.
Shevchenko found that analysis nothing short of amusing.
“So she is planning to secure her victory, she is not planning to go forward? This is what she said?” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie on Wednesday as she burst out laughing after listening to a clip of Grasso’s comments. “So she’s going to be on her side of the octagon expecting me to be on my side? That’s hilarious. Oh my God.”
When asked if she thinks Grasso is simply trying to bait her into fighting outside of herself, Shevchenko wouldn’t say that was the case matter-of-factly. However, she said it doesn’t matter, either. Shevchenko still believes without any doubt she should’ve won the second meeting between the pair in September 2023, but it was judge Mike Bell who turned in a controversial 10-8 scorecard for Grasso in Round 5 that swayed the result into a split draw.
“Looking on the second fight, our second fight, it was a draw,” Shevchenko said. “But it was the same exact strategy, with the same exact tactics, I secured the victory if it hadn’t been for the mistake and error of the judge (Mike Bell). He’s very, very weird action what he did. So everyone could feel that I won the fight. I did enough to win the fight. It was shocking for the people seeing that a judge can do those things. It was weird. Knowing that my strategy is working, I don’t have intentions to change anything.
“I’m just going to bring my spirit. I’m going to bring my power and my speed and I’m going to bring my experience to the fight. The No. 1 goal what I have to do in this fight is be myself. I don’t have to play someone’s game. This is not what makes you champion. Champion is who is playing their own game. I don’t care what everyone is saying. I’m going to win the fight. I know for sure.”
If Shevchenko, 36, has any say in the matter, the third fight with Grasso, 31, won’t reach the judges at all. She knows it’s not easy to finish fights at the highest level of the sport, but after remaining convinced she was robbed of a victory, Shevchenko said she’s tailored her entire training camp around securing a stoppage.
“Every time I look forward, but every time it’s not possible to finish the fight, especially when you are fighting with a top-level opponent,” Shevchenko said. “You can finish the fight very easily when the level between you and your opponent have a gap, but when we are speaking about UFC and the top-level competition, sometimes it’s harder. But this was our primary goal during the training camp, to finish the fight. I feel great. I feel strong and my cardio is amazing. I’m just going to go there and give the people an amazing fight. This is the goal. I’m not worried about anything else. Just give this fight and make this fight the best fight of my life.”
If Shevchenko performs as she expects, the series with Grasso would be even at 1-1-1 after three fights. She has previously stated there is no desire for a fourth meeting any time in the near future, and that sentiment seemingly hasn’t changed as UFC 306 gets closer.
Grasso said the relationship with Shevchenko has become “really, really weird” after spending so much time together around the past two fights and then as coaches on Season 32 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. Shevchenko wouldn’t define it the same way, but said she has never experienced so much interaction with an opponent.
“I would say yes, definitely, we have made a record for times of faceoffs in all the history of the UFC – I think we’re going to be the winners,” Shevchenko said. “So many faceoffs. I wouldn’t say that it was weird to much or something like that. No. For me, it was normal. It’s kind of like everything we have inside the octagon is inside of the octagon, but outside, it’s kind of like – I respect all my opponents every time. Because I’ve been through that. Through the training camps, get ready for the fight, get into the fight, get inside of the octagon. I know how it feels. That’s why I respect everyone who does this same thing, who steps inside of the octagon and fights.
“It’s not personal. Personal is when your opponent starts to insult your family or say some dirty things. Then it’s definitely becoming more personal. But when it’s healthy sportsmanship, this relationship is normal. I would say I get along very nicely with Alexa because we do the same thing. We are martial artists. We fight and we fight hard, but outside of the fight, why do we have to bring this show and spectacle? I don’t see it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
