Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko had fans on their toes at Noche UFC. However, neither side got to dominate the other, and the fight ended in a draw. Now Daniel Cormier wants the two ladies to face off against each other a third time to give the fans a real decision.
Continue reading for more details on the fight and Comrier’s point of view.
Following Grasso’s surprising victory at UFC 285 in March, where she pulled off a significant upset to seize the women’s flyweight championship, the stage was set for Shevchenko to seek redemption. She had her chance on a Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. She came tantalizingly close to victory, but the controversial 10-8 scorecard awarded to the champion by judge Mike Bell in Round 5 ultimately left the contest without a clear winner.
Cormier, a renowned UFC Hall of Famer and a former champion in two weight divisions added his voice to the commentary team, joining Jon Anik and Dominick Cruz. He lauded the fight for its thrilling entertainment and fierce competition. However, Cormier couldn’t help but express his disbelief regarding Judge Bell’s scorecard, finding it incredibly puzzling and questionable.
In his post-fight analysis on his YouTube channel, Cormier noted that things took an unexpected turn in the fifth round. He emphasized that it was a pivotal round in the fight. Initially, Alexa Grasso seemed to have the upper hand at the beginning of the fifth round, but then she got taken down and faced a barrage of ground-and-pound strikes and some submission attempts from her opponent. This turn of events clearly tilted the round in favor of her opponent. Cormier, who was waiting to interview the winner in the octagon, was scoring the fight in his head and thought Grasso might retain her title. However, when the scorecards were revealed, it was declared a draw, leaving him surprised.
He expressed his bewilderment, stating that he couldn’t fathom what Judge Mike Bell had observed to score the fifth round as 10-8 in favor of Alexa Grasso. While Grasso did win the round, Cormier believed that such a scorecard was one of the most questionable he had seen in a long time.
Cormier firmly believes that the controversy and the inconclusive result from their recent bout leave only one viable option on the table: an immediate trilogy fight. He points out that not only have the two previous matchups between Grasso and Shevchenko been highly entertaining, but it’s evident that both fighters are closely matched in terms of skill.
While other talented contenders in the 125-pound division, such as Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot, are eager for their title shots, Cormier emphasizes that a trilogy fight is necessary for closure. He describes the battle between Alexa Grasso and Valentina
Shevchenko is an absolute classic and insists they must face each other again. Cormier is confident that it promises to be a remarkable and thrilling showdown whenever these two women are matched.
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