UFC Targeting Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 Title Bout on Mexican Independence Day

Shevchenko will have a chance to reclaim the women's flyweight title after her shocking submission loss to Grasso.

Author:
Drew Beaupré
Publish date:
Jun 22, 2023 3:31 PM EDT

The UFC is planning to have Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko rematch for the women's flyweight title in a main event bout on September 16.

First reported by The Schmo, the UFC’s decision to give Shevchenko an immediate rematch comes as little surprise considering her dominance as flyweight champion and the significance of Grasso’s upset when the pair met at UFC 285.

Entering the UFC 285 co-main event as a sizeable underdog, Grasso shocked the MMA world when she took Shevchenko’s back off a wild spinning attack and proceeded to lock up a rear-naked choke. The massive victory extended the 29-year-old’s winning run to five fights, which began after she decided to move up to the flyweight division in 2020.

As exhilarating as the upset was for Grasso, the result was a massively disappointing one for Shevchenko considering she was up on all three judges’ scorecards prior to the finish. “Bullet” became the UFC’s inaugural women’s flyweight champion in 2018 and successfully defended her belt seven times, with the result at UFC 285 marking her first loss since her rematch with Amanda Nunes in 2017.

Grasso submitted Shevchenko in the fourth round at UFC 285. — Grasso jumped on Shevchenko's back and submitted her late in the fourth round at UFC 285.
(Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Planning the fight for September 16 is an astute move on the UFC’s part, as there’s never been a better time for the promotion to hold an event on Mexican Independence Day than when it currently boasts a total of three Mexican champions for the first time in the organization’s history.

While the initial report notes that the UFC is undecided on whether or not the planned event will be a pay-per-view or Fight Night, the promotion could potentially double down on celebrating Mexican Independence Day by booking men’s flyweight champion Brandon Moreno to defend his title on the same card.

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