Alexa Grasso before UFC 306 trilogy: Fighting Valentina Shevchenko 'really, really tough and amazing'
LAS VEGAS – UFC women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso is thrilled to be a part of the first-ever live sporting event at Sphere, and eager to close the book on her rivalry with Valentina Shevchenko.
On Sept. 14 at the second Noche UFC event, Grasso (16-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) will attempt to pick up her second victory over Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC) in a the promotion's first-ever women's championship trilogy bout.
Their second meeting at the first Mexican Independence Day-themed event resulted in a rare split draw, which meant Grasso exited the same way she entered, as a champion. However, while she came away with gold, a hand injury also followed.
"I had an injury in the fight, I needed a surgery," Grasso explained to reporters at UFC 306 media day. "It took me like a few months. My hands are my strongest weapon, you know. I love to box and it was really hard, honestly. But right now, it's fully healed and I'm ready for that. I'm happy my body heals really well."
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Grasso is ready to step into the octagon for the third time against Shevchenko in a historic title fight, adding another chapter to their incredible rivalry. In their first fight, Grasso became the first-ever Mexican woman to win a UFC title by tapping Shevchenko at UFC 285.
After a split draw in the rematch, and then coaching opposite one another on "The Ultimate Fighter," the pair have seen a lot of each other, perhaps more than their own families. For Grasso, it's all a part of the game, but she intends to get the job done at Sphere and move on to the next challenge.
"(It's) a competitive, professional relationship," Grasso said. "Like I said before, we're both professional. We're here to do our job, we love to compete, and we just found that fighting each other is really, really tough and amazing."
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 306.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alexa Grasso before UFC 306 trilogy: Fighting Valentina Shevchenko 'really, really tough and amazing'
