Controversy in the Octagon: Bisping’s Disagreement with Shevchenko vs. Grasso Draw
In the aftermath of an intense flyweight title showdown, former middleweight champion Michael Bisping voiced his strong disagreement with the surprising result. The highly anticipated rematch between Mexico’s last fighting UFC champion, Alexa Grasso, and former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko took center stage on a festive fight night during Noche UFC in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Grasso had previously upset the odds with a remarkable victory over Shevchenko earlier in March, setting the stage for an eagerly awaited rematch on Mexican Independence Day. As expected, these two formidable fighters, both renowned as the cream of the crop in the 125-pound division, engaged in a thrilling, technically-driven five-round chess match.
The bout was marked by thrilling momentum shifts, characterized by significant strikes and tense grappling exchanges. However, despite their remarkable efforts, Grasso and Shevchenko couldn’t secure a decisive win within the allotted time, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges. To the astonishment of many, the contest was declared a split draw.
The judges’ scorecards revealed a perplexing verdict, with one judge awarding the fight to Grasso with a 48-47 score, another judge scoring it the same way for Shevchenko, and the final judge, Michael Bell, rendering the bout a 47-47 draw, largely due to a Grasso 10-8 round in the fifth.
Michael Bisping, well-versed in the world of questionable decisions, shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, asserting,
“I say Valentina Shevchenko should have won that fight three rounds to two, maybe even four rounds to one.”
Bisping was particularly critical of the controversial 10-8 round in favor of Grasso in the fifth, stating,
“There is no way that that was a 10-8 round. Now granted, the understanding of a 10-8 is a little bit all over the place for a lot of people.”
The fifth round saw Shevchenko dominating for the majority, outstriking Grasso with precision jabs. However, Grasso made a late surge, capitalizing on a failed takedown attempt by Shevchenko. The champion then transitioned to Grasso’s back, unleashing a flurry of punches and seeking a rear-naked choke before the final bell.
While a draw is rarely a satisfying outcome, the division’s top contenders, Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot, find themselves the most affected by this result. The anticipated trilogy between Grasso and Shevchenko is likely to delay their immediate title aspirations. Nevertheless, Shevchenko disclosed in her post-fight press conference that she had broken her thumb in the first round, and her recovery timeline remains uncertain.
Bisping, however, remains steadfast in his stance, advocating for a decisive resolution to the rivalry, declaring,
“For my money, they’ve got to do that fight again because it’s unfinished business. It was a draw. It wasn’t the biggest robbery. In fact, it wasn’t a robbery. That term gets thrown around too much. It was a very, very entertaining fight. Well done to Alexa Grasso.”
