Alexa Grasso got back on track at UFC Seattle. |
Getty/UFC
While there was initially some confusion as to the official method
of victory for Alexa
Grasso in the
UFC Seattle co-main event, there was no question in Dana
White’s mind as to where it stacks up among MMA’s all-time
best.
”I think it’s one of the greatest finishes in the sport’s history,
let alone this year or tonight or whatever,” the UFC CEO said at
Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “It was incredible.”
Grasso officially defeated Maycee
Barber via knockout at the 2:42 mark of Round 1, but it was the
way in which she dispatched her opponent that truly stood out. The
Mexican standout crumpled Barber with a left hand and tagged her
with a quick follow-up shot before swiftly securing a rear-naked
choke on her fallen adversary. The submission was hardly necessary
— Barber was already unconscious — but it only added to the overall
visual of the moment.
While Grasso will likely end up on many year-end awards list for
her finish, simply getting the victory was key after dropping
back-to-back fights against Natalia
Silva and Valentina
Shevchenko.
“Of course it’s always hard to have two losses in a row. I’ve never
experienced that before,” Grasso said. “But injuries are part of
the journey. But healthy Alexa is very different than Alexa with
injuries. I’m super happy that all my injuries healed and I’m
better. I’m back.
“I trained so well this fight camp. It was very, very tough. It was
very hard. I wanted to get the finish. Of course my jiu-jitsu game
was the first point I wanted. I wanted to finish her, but of course
my boxing is always there and I’m super glad it worked.”
‘Bullet’ with a Name on It
Grasso scored one of the biggest upsets in recent memory when she
submitted Valentina
Shevchenko to capture the flyweight crown at UFC 285 in March
2023. The overall series with Shevchenko, the reigning 125-pound
queen, currently sits at 1-1-1 — so Grasso has reasonable case for
a fourth bout with her rival. She admits that is the ultimate goal,
though she also knows it might take a little more work to get
there.
“That would mean the world to me,” Grasso said. “Dream come true.
Of course. I don’t know how many fights I need to be a contender
again, so I’ll do my job and continuing training. I need – I don’t
know how many wins – to be in a championship fight, but that’s the
goal again.”