Alexa Grasso’s aggressive striking strategy proved to be the key to beating Manon Fiorot tonight at UFC Fight Night 288 by unanimous decision.

Round One

Grasso immediately comes out with immediate pressure with an aggressive flurry of punches.

Grasso in again with flurries of strikes and Fiorot doesn’t seem comfortable with this unexpected pressure.

Another brief flurry from Grasso. Fiorot with a push kick to get space. Fiorot lands a punch now.

Grasso pressuring close to the cage, but Fiorot threatens with a head kick.

Grasso misses most of her latest combination, but does connect with the final punch.

One-two for Fiorot. Now a long straight left from Fiorot. Three-piece combo for Grasso. Kick from Fiorot.

Side kick to the body from Fiorot. Fiorot tries for a combo, but Grasso lands on the counter to disrupt her.

Grasso connects with a right hook and drops Fiorot in the center of the Octagon! Grasso goes into full guard. She lands a body head combination at the end of the round. Impressive start from the former champion.

Round Two

High kicks exchanged, but neither finds a home. High body kick from Fiorot. Fiorot trying to work the head kick again.

Calf kick from Grasso. Brief exchange in close and Fiorot connected there. Side kick from Fiorot.

Grasso comes close with a right hook during a fast exchange. Another head kick from Fiorot comes off the guard.

Calf kick from Grasso. Body kick from Fiorot. They exchange kicks again.

One-two for Fiorot. Low kick from Grasso. Fiorot works her jab. Another exchange of punches. One-two again from Fiorot.

Fiorot still trying for head kicks, but not finding the range. She tries again though and it does land this time, but only lightly.

Fiorot gets the better of an exchange. Now Grasso bursts forward with a big flurry like she did early in the first round and lands nicely to back up Fiorot. Grasso bleeding from her right eye as the round ends though.

Round Three

Body kick from Fiorot and then a side kick for good measure. Another high kick from Fiorot.

Body kick from Fiorot. Glancing punches from Fiorot. Grasso with a flurry. Side kick off Grasso’s guard.

Grasso punches her way into the clinch against the cage. Fiorot reverses and moves away.

Fiorot threatens with another high kick. Body kick. Glancing punches from Grasso. Short series of right hands from Grasso in close.

Right hand from Fiorot. Grasso trying to hunt down her opponent, but Fiorot lands a punch.

Now a side kick to the body from Fiorot that puts Grasso on the back foot. Grasso punching into the clinch again, but Fiorot fends her off.

Another side kick from Fiorot. High kick off the guard. Left hand for FIorot. Grasso misses with punches.

Leg kick for Grasso. Grasso tries to punch her way through a couple of kicks from Fiorot. Grasso with one final burst of punches.

Decision

Grasso’s uncharacteristic gameplan to aggressively take the fight to Fiorot paid off in the early rounds here, even managing to drop her bigger opponent in the second round, and so while the final round was closer, Grasso emerges with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).