Valentina Shevchenko is preparing for a historic trilogy fight against Alexa Grasso at UFC 306, aiming to reclaim the flyweight title she lost, with confidence in her previous performance and strategy.
Valentina Shevchenko believes she’s heading into her historic trilogy fight with Alexa Grasso with the series tied at one win apiece. The flyweights meet in the first-ever trilogy for women in company history.
This bout will be the co-main event of UFC 306, set for Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Grasso’s 125-pound title will be on the line, and Shevchenko aims to reclaim the championship she lost at UFC 285 in March 2023.
Their rematch at Noche UFC in September 2023 was an instant classic. However, it ended in a split draw.
Grasso has shared advice with Shevchenko on approaching their third meeting. Yet, Shevchenko remains confident that her strategy from their second bout was sufficient for victory.
“Reading between the strokes, it means like, ‘OK, OK, Valentina, If I stay on my side of the octagon and you play your game, I will be safe and I won’t lose my belt,’” Shevchenko told MMA Fighting. “So she’s expecting me to stay on my side and she’s on hers, and we’re gonna do shadowboxing or something like that,” she chuckled.
“But seriously, why are we talking about a third fight? It’s only because of the judge’s mistake in the second fight,” Shevchenko continued. “Everyone saw that I was the winner.”
“I did enough to win, like three rounds out of five,” she added. “That’s why we’re discussing this trilogy.”
“Everything I did worked; all my strategies were effective,” Shevchenko stated. “Maybe Grasso was too engrossed in coaching The Ultimate Fighter since then.”
The 36-year-old Shevchenko has been immersed in combat sports for much of her life. With 28 pro MMA fights—16 in the UFC—she’s built a legacy as one of the greatest women fighters.
Many believe her skills are still top-notch, but there’s skepticism about whether she can defeat the younger champion. Shevchenko thrives on doubt, often entering fights with a chip on her shoulder.
As she gears up for her third bout with Grasso, Shevchenko plans to bring pressure to her opponent without burdening herself. “Every training camp is different,” she said. “Even comparing my best fights, each time felt unique.”
She emphasized that trying to make a grand statement can add too much pressure. “It can make you freeze,” she noted.
“This time, I’m just preparing myself as best as I can,” Shevchenko explained. Her coach Pavel Fedotov has been instrumental in this preparation—mentally and physically.
“The goal is to show an amazing fight,” she declared. “Just go out there and show ‘The Bullet’—the speed, the power—and keep pushing forward until the end.”