Alexa Grasso Lost her grip on the flyweight title back in 2024 in a trilogy fight with Valentina Shevchenko, but with the champion now out for a year injured, she sees her upcoming clash with Manon Fiorot this weekend as being the perfect match-up to establish herself as a future title contender.

“I think it’s a fight that has to be,” Grasso told MMA Junkie with regards to Fiorot. “She’s No. 2, I’m No. 3. We both fought for the title, we both want to fight for the title again. So, great fighter, she’s a tough opponent. I love that. I love challenges. You know that I love challenges because they make me grow and they can make me better like so much. I’m excited for this, and I can’t wait. I can’t wait to perform on (Saturday).”

For now, a fight between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong has been announced for the main event of UFC 332 next month to establish a new flyweight champion, but it makes sense that the winner of Grasso vs. Fiorot could then go on to fight the winner for the belt prior to Shevchenko’s eventual return sometime next year.

“I never like to pass through the thing that I have in front of me, which is Manon Fiorot this (Saturday),” Grasso said. “But I do know that having a good performance could keep me closer to the goal, the biggest goal that I want. So, I just have (Saturday), Noche UFC, Manon Fiorot. It’s also a big challenge for me, too, because last fight was amazing.

“I have to break my own expected things. It’s hard to break your own expected things and your own records. I’m just happy to be able to do what I love every single day. I love my job. I love to wake up every single day to do what I have to do because I love this. I’m just happy and excited, and can’t wait to be there in that Octagon that night.”