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.”

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.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.