Valentina Shevchenko left no doubt that she is the best flyweight on the planet after a shutout performance to drown Alexa Grasso in the UFC 306 co-main event.
From her striking prowess on the feet to a suffocating ground game, Shevchenko put on a dominant showcase to reclaim her title after falling to Grasso in their first meeting and then going to a controversial draw in the rematch. This time around there was no question with all three judges scoring the fight 50-45 for Shevchenko as she becomes the first two-time women’s flyweight champion in UFC history.
“It’s just so huge,” Shevchenko said following her win. “It’s like a dream come true fighting in the Sphere. Thank you so much for enjoying the show. Everything about this fight is more satisfying.
“Game plan [was] just go there and fight until the fight. Do everything to win the fight. Thank you to Alexa and her team. It’s what people wanted to see from female martial arts.”
A lightning quick right hand from Shevchenko continuously found a home on Grasso’s chin to set the tone early for the former champion. Shevchenko was also mixing up her strategy between striking and takedowns to keep Grasso guessing.
On the ground, Grasso defended well, throwing up submission attempts but remaining stuck underneath Shevchenko for the majority of the opening round. While she wasn’t doing a ton of damage, Shevchenko eventually unloaded a huge elbow before scrambling to take Grasso’s back but she ran out of time as the opening round expired.
In the corner, Grasso’s coaches warned her not to get too comfortable operating off her back but that’s exactly where she landed again with another takedown from Shevchenko. While Grasso threatened again with a slick armbar, Shevchenko stayed patient before escaping and then working to maintain her position on the ground.
That didn’t stop Grasso from throwing up more submission attempts but the always savvy Shevchenko kept breaking free.
When the fight did get back to the feet, Shevchenko was ultra-efficient with her combinations with that same right hand giving Grasso problems and then she started unloading head kicks — one of her most vicious weapons. With Grasso struggling to connect on the feet, Shevchenko opted to plant her back on the canvas again to display her dominance in all facets of the fight.
Grasso nearly rallied in the fourth round with a tight guillotine choke but Shevchenko never stopped moving until she finally slipped free. That once again left Grasso on her back with Shevchenko pressing down on her as she began looking for a submission of her own with an arm-triangle choke.
With timing ticking away, Grasso knew she had to go for broke with a finish as her only path to retaining the title. Grasso made a valiant attempt at taking the back, perhaps with shades of her title fight victory in mind but Shevchenko scrambled free to stay out of a bad position.
Shevchenko scored a couple more takedowns along with another stifling combination on the feet to cement herself as the new champion and likely writing the final chapter in her rivalry with Grasso.
Once considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound women’s fighter in the world, Shevchenko took a big step back to reclaiming that crown as well along with the flyweight title following her win on Saturday. She now likely finds herself staring down an eventual matchup with French striker Manon Fiorot sometime in 2025.
