Alexa Grasso pulled off the impossible last night (Sat., Mar. 4, 2023) at UFC 285 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, when the Mexican contender finished reigning UFC women’s flyweight champion and pound-for-pound best, Valentina Shevchenko, with a fourth-round submission (rear-naked choke).
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CHAMPIONSHIP TRILOGY! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to The O2 in London England, on Sat., March 18, 2023, with newly-minted Welterweight kingpin, Leon Edwards, running it back with former 170-pound champion, Kamaru Usman, for a third (and likely final) time. In UFC 286’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, all-action Lightweight knockout artists, Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, will lock horns with the winner inching closer to a future Lightweight title shot.
Shevchenko controlled the action in the early going with snapping kicks and punches, but Grasso landed a nasty punch that wobbled the champion. It was one of the only times we’ve seen Shevchenko hurt inside of the Octagon. Shevchenko went to her wrestling in the second and scored some valuable top time. Grasso was able to work her way to the feet and land some punches before “Bullet” took her back down.
Both women fired off offense to begin the third, but it was Shevchenko who scored a hard combination that backed Grasso up. Shevchenko then went back to her wrestling to gain top control again. Grasso showed better defense in the fourth, but she wasn’t able to gain an upper hand in the striking department. However, when Shevchenko tried a spinning back kick she put herself in a dangerous position and Grasso was able to grab a hold of her back. From there, she locked up the rear-naked choke finish and made the champion tap.
Check out the full fight video highlights below courtesy of UFC/ESPN:
Her shot at greatness is HERE!@AlexaGrasso enters for her #UFC285 title challenge pic.twitter.com/fJAymcJY7f
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2023
All business.
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2023
The greatest flyweight we've ever seen @BulletValentina enters for another title defense at #UFC285! pic.twitter.com/95TW3FkAaG
CHAMPIONSHIP IS ON THE LINE. #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/OCoRhT8b7K
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 5, 2023
ALEXA GRASSO JUST SHOCKED THE WORLD #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/h7SS3voyXs
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 5, 2023
ALEXA GRASSO HAS SUBMITTED VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO!!
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2023
WE HAVE A NEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/t4HMH5vXnw
#ANDNEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, @AlexaGrasso #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/Xtt2A8s0Zk
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2023
For complete UFC 285 results and highlights click HERE.
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