By Aimee Bulger
Staff Writer
On Sept. 16, UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso faced off for a second fight against Valentina Shevchenko, the former champion. The two had fought once previously when Shevchenko held the title, but Grasso was able to choke out and submit the champ, resulting in the belt changing hands.
The fight was incredibly anticipated, as Shevchenko was on a mission to earn back her title that she lost back in March.
In the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that night, the UFC celebrated Mexican Independence Day, honoring the holiday and the Mexican fighters on the card that evening, many of whom claimed victories. With Grasso herself being of Mexican descent, this fight held a strong meaning for the champion, motivating her further for a win.
However, this clear victory was not achieved. When the score cards were read out following the closing of the fifth round, the judges announced that the fight ended in a draw. Confusion filled the arena. No clear winner was determined in the eyes of the judges, which allowed for Grasso to maintain her title as champion, since technically no upset had been caused.
This decision was not taken lightly in the eyes of many fans and viewers, as a tie in a championship fight is not a common occurrence. Many viewers and experts felt that Shevchenko held enough control throughout the fight to obtain the win, as the draw was made due to a one point discretion from one judge.
According to ESPN, the scoring was as follows: "One judge scored the contest 48-47 for the champion, one judge scored the fight 48-47 for the challenger, while a third judge scored it 47-47 with the final round scored 10-8 for Grasso."
Many fans took to Twitter to express their frustration with the result of the match. A consensus was that the point discrepancy of a 10-8 in one of the rounds was uncalled for. Some believe Shevchenko should have won the fight, as she seemed to have dominated more of the rounds than Grasso with more control in the overall fight time. Many others also feel that a draw in a championship bout does not result in a clear and deserving champion.
Shevchenko herself also expressed her disapproval of the final judging, stating that she believed she did enough to win, but the judges felt pressure “because it’s Mexican Independence Day.”
She added, “I was expecting the battle to end and I think I did enough…in a fair competition, victory would be mine.”
Grasso, however, did not see the draw as a loss, stating, “Yes I'm the winner" during her post-fight interview, which the interviewer then responded by calling out the draw.
Grasso was then asked if she would be interested in settling the rivalry to obtain a clear victor between the two, to which she responded, “Let's talk with my coaches and with my manager and let's see what's next.”
ESPN predicts a third match between the two will occur, however, the champion and former champion will likely take on other opponents to grow anticipation for their next meeting. Hopefully, if and when UFC fans are given this third match, a clear winner will be determined.
