Alexa Grasso delivered a stunning upset victory over long-time flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko tonight at UFC 285 by way of a fourth-round submission to take the title.
Round One:
Outside low kick from Shevchenko. She tries for a front kick upstairs that comes up short. Calf kick from Grasso now.
Grazing right hand connects for Grasso. Calf kick again from Grasso and Shevchenko works a counter left.
Spinning backfist from Shevchenko and then a body kick. Spinning kick from Shevchenko just whistles over the challenger’s head.
Inside leg kick from Grasso and a low kick in response from Shevchenko. Another low kick from Grasso. Now a punch for her and then back to the leg kick.
Grasso with a nice right hand and Shevchenko tries to counter. Question-mark kick from Shevchenko misses. She does lands a jab though. Grasso with a right hand.
Jab from Shevchenko. Solid one-two for Grasso landed well. Leg kick from Shevchenko. She tries for a flurry of her own, but misses.
Nice right hand from Grasso who has found her range early. Outside low kick from the challenger. Head kick attempt from Shevchenko.
Right hand from Grasso. Elbow for Shevchenko. The champion lands her jab. Now a one-two and a front kick to the body. Shevchenko tries for a spinning backfist and body kick behind it.
Grasso working for a takedown now and almost gets it. The round ends with Shevchenko almost getting on top. Shevchenko has a slight cut to the bridge of her nose.
Round Two:
Inside leg kick from Shevchenko. Grasso tries to flurry but comes up sort. Nice takedown from Shevchenko. Grasso trying to scramble, but unable to get out from under the champion for now.
Grasso closes up her guard, but Shevchenko has four minutes left to work in this round. Shevchenko passes to haflg-aurd and then quickly into side control. Grasso trying hard to wriggle free, but Shevchenko is trying to work into the crucifix position. Grasso avoids that.
Grasso uses the cage with her feet to escape back upright. Nicely done.
Leg kick for Shevchenko. Now one from Grasso. Jab from Shevchenko. Grasso tries to piece together a combo but it’s a bit short.
Shevchenko backs away from another attack. Grasso with another flurry and lands a right hand. Her fast hands and more aggressive than normal approach seem to be taking Shevchenko out of her game a little, but she responds by landing another takedown.
Shevchenko in half-guard, but stays tight to Grasso and opts for control rather than looking for offense in the final seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Grasso. Jab for Shevchenko. Both land a jab simultaneously. Counter lands for Grasso. Another jab for Shevchenko.
There’s an exchange of punches and Shevchenko seemed to land the cleaner punch there. Shevchenko tries for a takedown, but Grasso fends that off with ease.
Solid punch from Shevchenko. Now she lands another good punch. Couple of jabs for the champ. Grasso looks for a punch, but Shevchenko times it well to duck under and land a takedown in the center of the Octagon.
Shevchenko working from full guard. Grasso trying to keep Shevchenko tied up while landing short punches from her back.
Occasional punch from Shevchenko but nothing too meaningful. The ref decides there’s not enough happening and stands them up. The refs have abeen unusually impatient in the event so far.
Shevchenko doesn’t let that affect her though as she quickly drives into another takedown attempt and lands it. She’s looking to improve her position, but the round ends with Grasso trying to work a guillotine choke from her back.
Round Four:
Shevchenko pumping out her jab at the start of the round to keep Grasso at bay. Now a spinning body kick attempt is missed. Jab lands for her and then a takedown attempt, but Grasso stuffs it.
Jab landing again for Shevchenko. leg kick for Grasso. Shevchenko feeling out with the jab and lands the leg kick again.
Grasso trying to work into range and Shevchenko shoots for a takedown, but it doesn’t pay off.
A couple of jabs land from Shevchenko. Grasso drives into a takedown of her own now and settles for clinching against the cage.
Shevchenko able to drive forward, land a knee to the body and break free. Jabs from Shevchenko. She lands another nicely timed one.
Shevchenko attempts a spinning kick to the body but misses and then Grasso pounces on her in the blink of an eye, taking the back and working for a rear-naked choke. Great work from the challenger and she’s getting this choke in tighter!
Wow, Shevchenko is in big trouble here and that’s it, she taps out – big underdog Alexa Grasso ends Shevchenko’s dominant seven-fight title reign to become the new flyweight champion at 4.34mins of the fourth round!!
