For the first time since 2018, the UFC female flyweights have a new queen. Longtime champion Valentina “The Bullet” Shevchenko, often considered the GOAT of women’s MMA, was dethroned by Alexa Grasso in a shocking turn of events during UFC 285’s co-main event. After a botched spinning kick exposed Shevchenko’s back in the fourth round, Grasso leapt on the opportunity, cranking a rear naked choke attempt right through the champ’s face — and ultimately earning the tap.
Grasso’s victory not only crowns her as the new flyweight champion, it also makes her the only woman in UFC history besides double champ Amanda Nunes to defeat the Bullet in the Octagon — and the only woman in MMA history period to successfully submit Shevchenko.
However, the length of Grasso’s new reign remains to be seen. In her post-fight interview on the canvas, Shevchenko was quick to ask for an immediate rematch, à la Amanda Nunes versus Julianna Peña, though fans are split on whether this particular rematch would play out the same way the bantamweight rivalry did.
Meanwhile, at the main event, Jon “Bones” Jones — moving up to heavyweight — made his highly anticipated return to the Octagon, where he finished previous champ Ciryl Gane barely two minutes into the first round, via guillotine choke. Though the specter of the fight-that-never-was between Bones and previous heavyweight king Francis Ngannou continues to haunt discourse in online MMA circles, the new heavyweight champ may sooner find a willing contender in Stipe Miocic.
“It’s a fight, he won, good for him,” Miocic said in a post-fight event. “Hats off, but unfortunately he’s got to fight me in July.”
