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Mexican fighter Alexa Grasso makes history with upset win over UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko
Grasso made a statement early on in the fight with a few brutal punches that troubled the champion, but it was her submission move in the fourth round, a rear-naked choke, that secured her victory
It was a historic night in the UFC as Alexa Grasso made a name for herself by defeating Valentina Shevchenko, who held a nine-fight winning streak in the women's flyweight division. The Mexican-born fighter became the first of her country to win a UFC championship.
Grasso made a statement early on in the fight with a few brutal punches that troubled the champion, but it was her submission move in the fourth round, a rear-naked choke, that secured her victory.
"Grasso has shocked the world," exclaimed commentator Jon Anik. "Alexa Grasso has stopped the reign."
Post-fight, Grasso said, "This moment feels like I'm dreaming...I've dreamed of this moment for so long."
Grasso revealed that the victory was no fluke, and she had actually trained hard to take the champion's spinning kicks. "I trained it so hard, like never before in my life," she said.
The challenger had the bigger moments in the first round, wobbling Shevchenko with a three-punch combination. Shevchenko responded with a takedown in the second round, but Grasso was able to get back to her feet, boosting her confidence.
Despite being taken down twice more in the fight, Grasso continued to take the fight to Shevchenko, and her training paid off when she capitalized on the champion's spinning back and got the rear-naked choke in the fourth round.
The fight was not without controversy, as referee Jason Herzog made the fighters stand up, even though Shevchenko had landed a decent shot just before. Herzog also missed an illegal shot from Grasso on the ground.
However, none of that mattered in the end as Grasso secured her victory, shocking the world and making history in the process.
