Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso Prediction: So She Has Kept Her Powder Dry After All

UFC 306 is happening on September 15th in Las Vegas, USA. In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko will face Alexa Grasso in a trilogy for the flyweight title.

Valentina Shevchenko was the dominant queen of the women's flyweight division in the UFC for a long time. Bullet dominated the division, beating the most formidable opponents over and over. It looked like Shevchenko would be around for a while, but she started to lose some steam. Maybe it was a lack of motivation, or age was starting to play a role. After all, Valentina was already 36 this year. The first sign that something was wrong for Shevchenko was her fight with Brazilian Taila Santos. Valentina was the clear favorite going into the fight, and Santos proved to be a worthy opponent, matching the level of competition Shevchenko had already faced. Despite her best efforts, Valentina couldn't manage the win. On top of that, Santos seemed to have the advantage. If it weren't for the orbital bone fracture she sustained from a clash of heads, it's unclear how the fight would've turned out. Valentina won by split decision, but many experts said the victory could have been given to Santos.

Next, Shevchenko faced Alexa Grasso, who was not expected to win. Valentina was in control of the fight, but then she made a mistake and let the Mexican take the back. One misstep and her reign was over. Grasso didn't waste any time and caught her opponent on the side. Following, the rivals had a rematch. Valentina seemed more collected and confident this time but still made a few unnecessary mistakes. Even so, Shevchenko looked like a better choice, but one judge's decision meant the former champion lost the title. To be frank, Grasso's achievements were an exaggeration, with the judges awarding a draw.

Mexican Alexa Grasso, 31, has been competing in the UFC since 2016, but she had a rocky start, with some wins and losses in the early years. Grasso started making a name for herself in 2020 when she won more often. Alexa got four victories in a row, earning a title fight with a less impressive opponent. But when the opportunity arose, Grasso seized it. Alexa took advantage of Shevchenko's misstep and made her pay for it. The rematch proved even more challenging for the champion than the first fight, but luck and the judges allowed Grasso to retain the title. It's also worth mentioning that Alexa looked pretty decent and as competitive as could be.

One can say all sorts of things about Valentina Shevchenko, but she's a higher-level fighter than Grasso. Bullet doesn't need to make any grand gestures to win. She only has to be fully focused and show the skills she's developed over the years in the octagon. It's true that Shevchenko's career might be coming to an end, but even at 36, she's still got what it takes to win the championship belt. The bookies have Bullet as the favorite, but it's slim.