In an upcoming UFC Fight Night, Alexa Grasso will defend her Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko. The Noche UFC main event is set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 16. Earlier this year, Grasso became the first-ever female Mexican champion by scoring a massive upset win over “Bullet” in their first clash at UFC 285.
Ahead of her first title defense on Mexican Independence Day, Grasso was presented with a custom “Tribe Belt No. 1.” The belt was crafted by renowned The Taller Jacobo y Maria Angele and serves as a tribute to women icons who have conquered adversities. The design incorporates elements of Mixtec/Zapotec societies, and its colors represent the “duality of life.”
Tribute to Mexican Pre-Hispanic Culture
The Ultimate Fighting Championship offered more insights into the belt’s design in a press release. It explained that the belt’s design draws inspiration from the pre-Hispanic culture in the heart of the Mixtec/Zapotec cultures. The abstracted values reflect the long road to triumph, showing various symbolisms like dexterity, courage, ability, and discipline. The iconography represents the workshop as the house, protection as the fish, respect as the person, people as the butterfly, happiness as the wind, movement as the rattle, and maximum power as the road to becoming a champion.
Duality of Life Represented in Colors
The press release further explained the significance of the belt’s colors, stating that they represent the concept of duality. It highlighted the idea that there is no triumph without defeat and no joy without sorrow. The opposing colors on the belt exemplify this thought, with one being the negative of the other, both sharing the same space. This dual representation is an emblem of the synergistic relations that make up a champion’s journey.