In a highly anticipated rematch, fans witnessed one of the greatest title fights in Ultimate Fighting Championship history. However, the night ended on a sour note as the flyweight championship bout between Alexa Grasso and former kingpin Valentina Shevchenko was scored a split draw (48-47, 47-48, 47-47) at the Noche UFC main event in Las Vegas.
Six months after ending Shevchenko’s nine-fight winning streak and reign as a champion, Grasso entered as the fan favorite on Mexican Independence Day. Shevchenko, eager to spoil the celebration, dominated on the ground early in the fight, but Grasso took advantage on her feet, dropping Shevchenko in round two and bringing the crowd to its feet. Shevchenko fought back, taking the contest back to the ground. However, it was clear that Grasso was a deserving champion.
A Back-and-Forth Championship Battle
Rounds three and four were closely contested and could’ve gone either way. Heading into the final round, it was anyone’s fight. Shevchenko appeared to be cruising towards regaining her belt as she controlled much of the action with her jab. However, she made a critical mistake by giving up her head during an attempted takedown. Grasso nearly closed the show with a rear-naked choke, but Shevchenko survived.
Many fans understood the decision to score the fight as a draw, but judge Mike Bell’s 10-8 scoring for Grasso in round five left some scratching their heads. Had he scored it a 10-9 round, Shevchenko would have retained the belt by split decision. Instead, Grasso retained the strap, leaving fans eagerly anticipating a potential third matchup between the flyweight rivals.
Other Notable Fights
In other fights on the card, Jack Della Maddalena upset Kevin Holland in a welterweight bout, Raul Rosas Jr. rebounded emphatically in his bantamweight battle against Terrence Mitchell, Daniel Zellhuber turned the tables on Christos Giagos in their lightweight clash, and Kyle Nelson denied the pro-Padilla crowd with a unanimous decision win over Fernando Padilla in their featherweight match.