Valentina Shevchenko wants immediate rematch with Alexa Grasso after ‘stupid situation’ cost her belt

Valentina Shevchenko was generous in her loss to Alexa Grasso, but she wants a chance to right her wrong at UFC 285.

Moments after speaking with Grasso, last Saturday’s headliner, Shevchenko blamed her defeat on a “stupid situation” and demanded an immediate rematch with the Mexican champion.

“Definitely an immediate rematch because I know I was winning the fight,” Shevchenko told Joe Rogan at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Shevchenko was the -1200 favorite to defend the UFC flyweight title for the eighth straight time against Grasso. Aside from a slow start when Grasso landed some hard punches, the longtime champion appeared to be on her way to winning the fight, using her wrestling to neutralize her opponent’s offense. All three judges evaluated the champion in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Then, in an instant, everything went awry for Shevchenko. A light spinning kick in the fourth round allowed Grasso to pull her back and quickly drown in a rear naked choke. The grip was so strong that it left an imprint on the champion’s jaw, where the blood drained from her face.

“This is similar to what happens in mixed martial arts,” Shevchenko complained afterwards. “You are winning the fight everywhere, everywhere, without a doubt. And a stupid situation can change the whole game. This is part of the game. Congratulations to Alexa and I know that I am stronger, and if not for this roundhouse kick [it] would have been a different result.

Subsequently, Grasso made it clear that she was ready for an immediate rematch, so Shevchenko should look at the result of the fight with a little hope. Prior to UFC 285, Erin Blanchfield was considered as her next possible contender.

Shevchenko broke a nine-fight winning streak that evening, whose last loss came in 2017 at the hands of bi-division champion Amanda Nunes in a bantamweight bout.

“Yes, in fact, everyone has to train hard and you do your best to be in combat in one situation or another,” Shevchenko said. “That’s what happened, but at least [there is some] movement in the flyweight division, maybe [my loss] Created, like, some girls will be more alive before I come back and take back my title.”

Shevchenko also spoke about the loss in Instagram post on Monday.

“Martial arts is my life and I will be back for immediate revenge stronger than ever,” Shevchenko wrote. “A fight never forgets a single mistake. It’s especially frustrating when you’ve dominated the whole fight. No excuses, just hard work. Ready to start over.”