Published by
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
By Justin Barrasso Alexa Grasso did the unthinkable on Saturday at UFC 285, defeating Valentina Shevchenko to become the new flyweight champion. Widely overlooked in the buildup to the bout, Grasso had strengths that were dismissed when compared to Shevchenko’s striking and grappler. But the beauty of the fighting spirit was on full display, as Grasso executed a tenacious game plan and forced Shevchenko to tap out in the fourth round in a massive upset. “I was extreme with my discipline, extreme with my conditioning and extreme with my game plan,” says Grasso. “That’s the only way I could win …
