Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko will rematch for the flyweight title at the upcoming UFC Fight Night card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are set for a rematch, with the flyweight title at stake during the upcoming UFC Fight Night card scheduled for September 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Multiple individuals with knowledge of the promotion’s plans have confirmed the news. Grasso and Shevchenko are currently ranked Nos. 2 and 3 respectively in the MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings.
The rematch comes just over six months after Grasso achieved a massive upset when she defeated Shevchenko to become the new 125-pound champion at UFC 285 this past March. The end of the match came after Grasso capitalized on an opening when Shevchenko threw a poorly timed spinning kick, resulting in a takedown. Grasso then secured her position and locked on a fight-ending rear-naked choke, forcing Shevchenko to tap out and ending her four-plus year reign over the division.
Now the two fighters will face off again, with Grasso aiming to once more defeat the longest reigning women’s champion in UFC history. Shevchenko had previously defended her title seven times, and Grasso is currently on a five-fight winning streak with an undefeated run since moving to the flyweight division. Shevchenko, on the other hand, hopes to bounce back after suffering only her third loss in UFC, following two previous setbacks against Amanda Nunes at bantamweight. Overall, Shevchenko boasts a 9-1 record at 125 pounds, including stoppages over veterans such as Jessica Andrade, Jessica Eye, Lauren Murphy, and Katlyn Chookagian.
The Grasso vs. Shevchenko rematch is expected to headline a rare UFC Fight Night event at T-Mobile Arena on September 16. This card is scheduled to take place one week after UFC 293, which will be held in Sydney, Australia, on September 9.