Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko 1 | FREE FIGHT

Summary:

In this article, we will be discussing the first fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. This fight took place in the UFC and was a highly anticipated matchup between two talented fighters. We will analyze the key moments of the fight and discuss the strategies employed by both fighters. Let’s dive in!

Round 1

The fight starts with both fighters showing their skills in the stand-up game. Grasso is known for her striking abilities, while Shevchenko is a well-rounded fighter. Grasso attempts to mix things up by going for a takedown, but Shevchenko quickly gains control and sets up a crucifix position. Shevchenko’s dominance in this position is evident as Grasso struggles to escape. Grasso misses an opportunity to use the fence to her advantage and Shevchenko regains side control. Despite Grasso’s efforts to leverage the fence, Shevchenko maintains control.

Round 2

In this round, Shevchenko continues to showcase her ground control skills. Grasso attempts to escape the position by using the fence, but Shevchenko quickly shuts down her attempts. Shevchenko’s ability to control the fight on the ground is impressive, as many high-level contenders have struggled to escape her control in the past. Grasso needs to do something big to turn the tide in her favor, but with just over two minutes left in the round, time is running out.

Round 3

As the fight progresses into the third round, Shevchenko’s ground control continues to be a dominant factor. Grasso’s inability to defend takedowns becomes evident, and Shevchenko takes advantage of this weakness. Shevchenko’s takedowns and ground control serve to settle Grasso and limit her aggressiveness. Grasso needs to find a way to defend against these takedowns if she wants to have a chance in this fight.

Round 4

In the fourth round, Shevchenko’s ground control remains a key factor. Grasso attempts to take the fight to the ground, but Shevchenko stuffs her takedown attempts. Shevchenko’s variety of techniques, including her kicks, keep Grasso on her toes. Grasso shows resilience and attempts a guillotine choke, but Shevchenko defends well and maintains control. Shevchenko’s dominance in the fight is evident as she secures a rear-naked choke submission, forcing Grasso to tap out.

Conclusion

In this fight, Valentina Shevchenko showcased her superior ground control skills and ability to dominate her opponents. Alexa Grasso put up a valiant effort but was unable to defend against Shevchenko’s takedowns and ground control. Shevchenko’s victory in this fight solidified her reign as the UFC Women’s flyweight champion.

okay photos we’ve gone over the rules in
the back there were no final questions
from you there were no final questions
from you read if you want to touch
gloves do it now come on ready to fight
Valentina chefchenko looking to make it
eight successive Flyway title defenses
Alexa Grosso
looking to shock the world
first round thought are you ready buddy
you ready fight
all right Flyway Championship is
underway Alexa Grosso in the green with
white Valentina chefchenko in the black
and gold befitting a champion
I tell you who’s watching right now in
Gilroy California everybody from Gilroy
is like we in there you know we got a
whole bunch of Mexican people in Gilroy
they are excited for Alexa Grosso as
they were for Brandon Moreno they think
that Alex can get it done it’ll take a
fantastic performance but you look at
Valentina and you guys remember when
Ronda Rousey was the champ I was always
fast Valentina systematic she does not
rush she always takes her time she gets
her reads and then she starts to go to
work to break down her opponents
counter left appear to land for
chefchenko Grosso very technical with
her boxing with her footwork oh
beautiful spinning back Fist and left
kick to the body
[Applause]
but that’s one of the things that
Valentina says she goes if she wants to
have a boxing match we could have a
boxing match and I would still feel
confident I think that would be the
thing that would give Roswell her best
chance to just box her because she is a
phenomenal boxer
she is but I guarantee you valentina’s
not going to just box her no no look
yeah there you go she’s throwing
spinning back Fizz spitting his back
kick yeah
nice inside low kick
did you give her a little read with that
knee just to see the reaction
[Applause]
Vegas crowd showing its support for the
champion chefchenko
he’s thrown with bad intentions early
another inside leg kick gets home
she has such an efficient snap to her
movements
she’s coiled like a spring you notice
that left heel is always off the ground
as she’s backing up she’s always in a
position to fire back that’s the dangers
in fighting her yeah such a great
counter-striker that if you take too
many chances she’ll populate something
yeah you can’t leave any space although
I think Brasso just clipped her there
with the right hand she did
oh my God
I was wondering what she was trying to
do while showing her that knee and I
think she was trying to set up a front
leg question mark kick yeah with the
right leg
oh
supporter with that right hand
but on the exit right she can’t stop
because valentina’s still throwing yes
by chefchenko gets through coming up on
two minutes here in round one of a
possible five
Roswell has landed a few punches already
she heard it with that right hand Joe
feel like she’s gotten that left home
too oh the left sorry yes she landed
that beautiful Left Hand twice
the Grasso Corners calling for more
faints there weren’t a lot of those her
last time out against vivianiato uzo
but Grosso landed some power shots early
90 seconds to go on the round and
Valentina immediately started to chop at
those legs take away those legs take
away that spring
very intelligent
[Music]
also continuing to keep that guard high
and tight
that right hand is always right on the
chin of Grosso
well she remembers that Jessica I fight
yep
very educated with her hands
crossowon officially is now outlanded
chefchenko in around 1916 adds to her
total there
oh nice elbow on the break
[Music]
Africa
30 seconds to go on the round
body kick lands for the champ
dwell time takedown but doesn’t really
count as takedown but the visual right
didn’t establish the position but yeah
the visual look at these knees to the
body look at this
takes her down but Grasso was on her
back
very interesting there
beautiful body kick right here by the
champ lands right up under the elbow
look at this left hand from Grosso boom
that was the first big left hand that
landed now here comes the combination of
Grosso she darts in she covers distance
very well nice right hand
a nice left hand right hook follows that
hurt the champ
s
only because he started let’s change it
he landed he scratched him
last time he’s gonna use the same
tactics he’s standing since going in
as I start to pressure you you have to
be faster
you have to counter her you can’t do it
I don’t know why you’re not doing it
well for a long time Valentina
shevchenko was just knifing through
contenders without so much as being
challenged that has changed well when
you’re the champion you get everybody’s
best right like you’re gonna get
motivated people that want to knock you
off
and as our sport continues to evolve
that’s going to continue to happen you
also set the bar very high and people
have the look at this beautiful takedown
see that beautiful job by Valentina
fantastic and she’s so physically strong
yes that when she gets these girls down
they tend to struggle right but she has
that ability we spoke to that earlier on
her walk how she has the ability to take
you down and ground you out if she needs
to and of course chefchenko started her
UFC career at 35 Grosso 115 pounds so
perhaps some size and strength
discrepancy Dean Thomas you got a hot
mic what do you have beautiful first
round by Grosso she did her best work as
a South Pole and that was probably an
adjustment that they made in Camp to try
to shake up the champ and I think that’s
what happened Chef Jangles probably not
prepared for a southpaw
thank you Dino and this is an area to
fight that you would imagine Chef Jayco
picked up on in their film study right
Macy Barber was able to score takedowns
Carla sparza was able to score takedowns
she hasn’t had the greatest takedown
defense over the course of her U.S and
career so seeing her get taken down by
these athletes probably has prompted the
champion hey she’s very good in the
stand up let me mix it up a little bit
yeah absolutely and she just slid over
[Applause]
indicide control
and looking at setting up the beginning
of a crucifix
just so good there her first fight at
125 she got to that crucifix position
multiple times and just destroyed the
girl and especially right now and then
you see how physically straight up she
is as Alexa Grosso tries to Arch and
buck her way out of this position and
she can do nothing Alexa Grosso just
missed their opportunity she had her
feet towards the side of the Octagon she
should have tried to use that to wall
walk and push herself over right to try
to get out of his position but now her
feet are back to the center it’ll make
it much more difficult but at least
she’s kind of captured the left leg of
Valentina with her left leg she’s it’s
not she’s not out of the woods but she
can begin to set things up here
what a good thing for her is Valentina
squeeze it right Valentina squeezing to
try to keep her in position but now
valentina’s back to side control again
[Applause]
Rosso trying to leverage the fence there
it is fijou exactly now she used the
fence to get up beautiful fantastic job
that’s big
so then she got her feet to the fence
she was able to use it oh and Alexa
tractor
seen a lot of high-level contenders
unable to escape that position in the
past against chefchenko
still just over two minutes to go round
two
mcgruffville’s got to do something big
here
[Music]
and now how willing is she going to be
knowing that the champ is going to level
change if she gets too aggressive
[Applause]
and for the champion Valentine will get
into a position about people rarely
Escape there can be that energy dump
right after she got away a little sooner
than you expected now you’re back on
your feet and she’s pressing
I want to see how the champ reacts to
being back out in the center now
right how much energy does she have left
for the remainder of this round
because in her mind if it always happens
in one way why would it be different
Grosso back to Southpaw now and she did
utilize a lot of energy establishing
that position holding that position
[Applause]
I think you might be on to something
there chefchenko mouth open circling
under a minute to go in the round
[Applause]
oh
good right hand Connection by Grosso and
a return is there for chefchenko
oh another take down by the champ
beautiful job
and that should put a Capstone on the
round
and John this will really serve to
settle Alexa Grosso and settle her
aggressiveness because she knows now
that when she does overextend a little
bit she’ll get taken down
because Valentina has shown if she can
get to her body Alexa doesn’t have the
knowledge to defend those takedown to
stay upright
all right so the narrative in round two
ground control and a couple takedowns
for Valentina shebchenko
10 minutes down
[Applause]
[Music]
you have to be better on the distance
and then look for the timing for the
takedown
keep it simple
they need to be faster simple and fast
as encounter her
just simple punches simple Stripes
everything simple good timing good
entries
she slowed down
she will try to control
are you ready you ready
slowed down they wanted a time to take
down though
they like what they saw in that round
Alexa’s inability
to defend
[Music]
beautiful job by the champion
we’re also able to get inside and land
good left counter by Grosso over the top
[Music]
[Applause]
in round two the grossful corner told
them not to throw too many kicks
probably because of the fear of getting
taken down
but on the feet she looks great Roswell
looks great she does yeah
she looks comfortable she looks
aggressive
what an exchange
oh she telegraphed that one she did
so if you’re grossful now you faint like
Dominique caught the last time get her
level change pull out that takedown
attempt because that was very telegram
by the champion she literally put her
head down and reached out for the leg Oh
I thought she stung it with a left hand
oh
[Music]
Valentina just barely caught her with
that oh look like a big left-hand
connection for shevchego it looked like
Grosso was trying to take her down there
for a minute Valentine’s trying to go to
that headlock
when they come together and she gets her
arm under one side and then over the
other side she tries to step through
[Music]
three minutes here to go round three
[Applause]
chefchenko with a good shot there what
timing that was beautiful beautiful
and you saw Alexa Grosso immediately
kind of make a face like ah
I cannot believe I did it again
Valentina on top of her inner full guard
and Alexa is controlling the right arm
with the overhook but I don’t know what
kind of offensive guard she has it’s a
great position if you can control that
right arm with the leftover hook
but she’s not doing anything offensively
but she would want to do if she’s
attacking is bring that left leg up and
start to lock it down and isolate it
but it seems like she’s just doing that
defensively trying to hold her in place
because Jason Herzog is already telling
them to keep working
it seems like there is
a real emphasis on keeping Fighters
active on the ground because the
warnings are coming a lot sooner than
they used to are at least it feels like
that
yeah Keith Peterson historically very
reluctant to warn Fighters but you’re
right DC that has been a trend tonight
we set off the top that Grosso likely
would have to fight the perfect fight
when you take out a champion like this
right long reigning Master of the
adjustments Championship medal you can
be great moments but you got to be great
for
yeah balance of 25 minutes yep the
entirety of the fight you got to be
great
and even if Valentina can just stay on
top and land the occasional punch like
this
it still establishes her in this round
wow wow see what I mean
wow
punch from Chef Jayco came after a
separation I don’t like that at all what
happened I got a separation I don’t like
the separation yeah I don’t like the
stand up I hate it
I don’t like it she worked hard to get
to that position she was Landing punches
and it’s not normal do you expect her to
do she was Landing yes she was Landing
shots and then she gets it again Alexa
Grosso is not defended takedowns at all
oh oh that was yeah that’s illegal yeah
that was the head kick to the ground to
a downed opponent wow it is amazing how
look at that back take it’s amazing how
delayed she is on her take down defense
I mean valentina’s at her hips before
she even thinks to sprawl yes
and there’s the danger right in fighting
a Valentina Chef Jayco because she’s
such a great Striker do you not Russell
look at this Alexa Brasso looking for
guillotine attempts
full guard wow crosso game as hell but a
big round for the champion Chef Chico
look at that jab by the champion Snappy
Jab
and there’s another one and another one
behind it
and look at that Grosso with the left
hand Valentina counter with a sharp left
hand though
there’s a one-two from Grosso and look
at this timing in this time just
absolutely gorgeous
I just don’t get I mean Brussels seems
so delayed on their defensive
we mentioned that word extreme when it
comes to the training and the
conditioning for Alexa Grosso I’ve never
seen her in this shape she’s barely
breathing after 15 minutes with
chefchenko what’s wrong buddy buddy you
ready are you ready it’s fine
no she’s not breathing heavy but she’s
got to be a little better on a takedown
defense if she wants a chance because
valentina’s setting up a takedown right
now
[Applause]
oh there it is she’s dropping her level
a little bit
showing her something different
spinning kick to the body partially Lynn
as a little telegraphed a little a
little on the slow side there by the
champion yeah and look at that shot
again
but this time stuffed nice that was
better by Grosso defending big reaction
from the corner as Grosso stuffs a shot
for the second time tonight
but that ain’t gonna be the last one she
sees because she has now earned the
respect of the champion John she is
making the champion want to wrestle
well I think those punches early on yeah
really clean ones by Grosso we’re a
wake-up call well every time they throw
combinations roswell’s the one that’s
Landing more shots yes
man those rug burns on Chef tankless
knees are going to burn when she gets
that those are gonna burn for days that
octagon will tear your knees up when
you’re shooting man yeah
shower should be fun yeah it’ll be fun
it’ll it’ll burn
some sort of discredited Grosso coming
in here tonight because after her Main
Event win over Otto uzo last year she
intimated that maybe she would want one
more before a title fight but certainly
holding her own here as we go under
three and a half round four well sir
when she throws her jab John like that
the champ goes the jab but Brussels left
hand is on the face she pops with the
same Jab
when she’s softball that’s what she does
really well
like Dean said she isn’t fighting as
well when she’s convention you’re
missing a lot of body kicks from
chefchenko you know she’s so good at
setting up head kicks with those body
kicks I love the Jessica I fight and
we’re not seeing a lot of that tonight
well because she’s fired her southpaws
right so it’s like it’s really kind of
killed that attack for so she’s not able
to dig that left leg to the body like
she does against conventional Fighters
which is why she showed her that right
leg question mark kick
[Applause]
Telegraph that one it’s like every time
every time gospel gets a bit aggressive
Chef Chico wants to shoot so bad that
she shows that she’s coming
still the the variety of techniques that
chefchenko has with her kicks you would
expect maybe the switch kick to the body
maybe the high kick on the left side and
now she’s an orthodox
and Grosso goes Orthodox for the
takedown attempt interesting yeah Chef
Chico’s gonna try to headlock her here
she’s gonna try to headlock with the
right arm
got to stay close here keep that seat
belt and just keep letting the freehand
work
Rosso hands clasped right behind
chefchenko
Herzog allowing the fighters to work
here in the clinch
back to the center of the Octagon now
we’ll see if Grosso can maximize these
final 90. good jab from chefchenko gets
through well this is a round that’s up
on the table oh nice jab there by the
champion beautiful
and again with that perfect timing
really is the timing right that guard is
high and tight yet she still gets it
through
and you’re seeing it on the left eye oh
made an attempt for the spinning back
fist got her back take it oh Sensational
job by Alex and Grosso with a minute to
go oh it’s she’s in deep that is getting
tight but it’s on the chin Joe he’s
still looking she’s got the strength
oh my goodness
chefchenko keeping her wits about her
not under the chin yet more of a crank
oh
she’s got behind the neck
that’s still ties
that’s really tight I think she got it
[Applause]
submission by submission
oh my goodness oh my goodness
wow that happened fast John what the way
she took the back
oh we gotta see the way she took the
back oh my gosh a millisecond
Alexa crossow has stopped
rain
Mexico that’s three Viva Mahi going deep
wow a back take the way she took the
back was just like a ninja I mean that
was so beautiful that was one of the
Christmas back tanks I think I’ve ever
seen
oh
yeah baby the second career win by
submission for Alexa Grosso and the most
incredibly dominant reign in UFC Women’s
flyweight history comes to an end let’s
take a look at that watch this back take
because it’s Sensational spinning back
kick look at this
I mean so quick
she misses the spinning back kick and
Alexa Grosso is on her back if we can
see that in real time it’s amazing look
how quick this is Boom jumps on the back
both hooks in immediately
she was not playing around on that
channel oh my goodness and the way she
cinched that up never let go of the neck
let’s see in real time once she hit the
hands look at this up gone oh my
goodness that’s amazing
perfect both hooks in instantaneously on
the neck and slowly there it is surely
secured until she got the back of that
hand on the back of valentina’s neck and
didn’t even get it under this it never
got under the chin look how red she’s
getting just ready to go out it never
got under the chin unbelievable once she
hid those hands behind her head it was
over J.A and for this team right
Francisco crosso who has dedicated the
entirety of his professional life to his
niece we talked earlier this week champ
25-1 Rosso by submission wow cash your
tickets to make it official here’s Bruce
ladies and gentlemen referee Jason
Herzog is called a stop to this contest
at four minutes 34 seconds of the fourth
round for the winner by submission due
to a rear naked choke