Valentina Shevchenko Explains Why She Agreed to Fight Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC

Valentina
Shevchenko feels UFC
306 is not all about Mexican Independence Day.

Shevchenko challenges Alexa
Grasso for the women’s flyweight title in the co-main event at
UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas. “Bullet” was
initially hesitant to accept the trilogy fight on this particular
card due to her past experience.

Shevchenko lost her strap to Grasso in an upset submission loss at
UFC 285 in March 2023. The two met in a rematch last September at
Noche UFC, which was the promotion’s first event to commemorate
Mexican Independence Day. The fight ended in a controversial split
draw, leading to Grasso retaining her strap. Shevchenko complained
that judge Mike Bell scored the fifth round 10-8 in favor of Grasso
so that the Mexican champ could retain her belt on the card built
around the country’s Independence Day.

So, when Shevchenko was offered a trilogy matchup a year later at
UFC 306, which is also tribute to Mexican Independence Day, the
former champ was initially reluctat to accept it. However, she
notes that UFC 306 is more than just a tribute to Mexican
Independence Day. The card being billed as Noche UFC Riyadh Season
is the company’s first collaboration with Turki Alalshikh, chairman
of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia. The company
has also confirmed that it’ll be one-time affair at The Sphere in
Las Vegas, which is likely due to the event’s massive cost.

Shevchenko also likes the idea of the UFC highlighting a country’s
culture by building a card around it and hopes the promotion
extends that courtesy to other countries as well.

“Because it’s kind of like Noche, but I feel like it’s not that
Noche too,” Shevchenko told told Shakiel Mahjouri. “Because so much ingredients
added. It’s like UFC 306 and [co-main] event, USA and Georgia,
Riyadh Season’s first event. Actually, I kind of like this idea
because all this showing up the culture of one country, it’s such a
cool thing. And I hope in the future, it’s gonna start with, for
example Mexico right now and maybe in the future the UFC will do
the same thing for all other countries to embrace their culture.
And show to the world not only fighting but bringing the culture of
each country. For the people who doesn’t know much about some
places, to expand their knowledge and be more curious to travel… So
I hope in the future it’s going to be more countries involved in
these cultural events.”