The UFC flyweight division was shaken up once again at UFC 285, as Alexa Grasso shocked the world by defeating Valentina Shevchenko to claim the title.
After a slow start, Shevchenko’s wrestling was starting to become her secret weapon against Grasso. However, one critical mistake proved to be costly for Shevchenko. At 4:34 of Round 4, Grasso took advantage of a spinning back-kick from Shevchenko and was able to take her back and sink in a rear-naked choke to secure the victory.
The upset win by Grasso sent shockwaves throughout the MMA world, and fighters were quick to react on social media.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate tweeted, “What a shocker!! Congrats to Alexa Grasso!!”
UFC commentator Joe Rogan also chimed in, saying, “Wow! What a performance by Alexa Grasso! She just took out one of the pound-for-pound best in the world.”
Other fighters took to Instagram to express their thoughts on the upset. Top-ranked flyweight contender Lauren Murphy posted a photo of herself with the caption, “Well, damn. That was unexpected.” Former UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg commented on Grasso’s Instagram post, saying, “Congratulations, you deserve it!”
Even Valentina Shevchenko herself showed grace in defeat, posting a message on Instagram that read, “Congratulations to Alexa Grasso on her victory tonight. I will be back stronger.”
The upset win by Grasso is a reminder of the unpredictable nature of MMA and the fact that anything can happen in the Octagon. As the flyweight division continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see who steps up to challenge Grasso for the title and who emerges as the next top contender in the division.
Overall, UFC 285 was an eventful night for MMA fans, and the upset win by Alexa Grasso will go down as one of the biggest moments in UFC flyweight history.
