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Alexa Grasso defeated Valentina Shevchenko, becoming the new UFC flyweight champion. She’s the first Mexican woman to get this achievement.
Grasso came in the fight as the underdog, with Shevchenko defending the title that she’d managed to hold on to over the past seven years. Grasso joins fellow Mexican Brandon Moreno at the top of the sport, who previously became the first Mexican man to become the reigning UFC champion.
Her UFC victory
"Please punch me, I feel like I'm dreaming," Grasso said after the fight. "I've been dreaming for this moment for so long." Per ESPN, her win is the sixth largest upset in a UFC title fight in the last 15 years.
Grasso’s winning move was one that she had trained for specifically to beat Shevchenko, perfectly timed to take out her oponent as she performed one of her signature moves. Shevchenko threw a spinning kick to Grasso, exposing her back, and resulting in Grasso getting an opening to pin her. “I trained for that, I trained it every single day,” Grasso said. “I knew she did spinning things.”
Celebrities cheering on Grasso
The match was viewed by all sorts of fans and celebrities, including Connor McGregor, Jake Gyllenhaal and Brandon Moreno, who were spotted at the stands. A video shows McGregor yelling “Viva Mexico!” as Grasso was named champion.
Grasso was born in Guadalajara and made her UFC flyweight debut just five years ago.
