UFC 306 had some big takeaways, broadcast on ESPN. First, the Fight of the Night scrap between Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber was the biggest strikefest. Diego Lopes proved where he stands in the pecking order. Merab Dvalishvili upset the ‘Suga Show.’ Valentina Shevchenko also proved she was mostly right in her assessment of her previous fights with Alexa Grasso.
Many have billed the trilogy fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso as a dominant dud. ‘Bullet’ did close out the trilogy to regain gold. The elite striker did so mostly with an intelligent ground game. Despite celebratory mode, Valentina Shevchenko had a bone to pick with ESPN. She accused the network of showcasing extreme bias towards the Mexican champion.
I feel ESPN was showing so much [about Grasso]…Even in the second fight with Alexa, so every time showing the moment when she’s winning or she’s doing good combinations…And my combinations, they just ignored…but they just ignored. All the people had this feeling that she won the fight, and it was a draw. I felt it was unfair a little bit…now there is no way for them to show these clips.
Valentina Shevchenko to media scrum during UFC 306 PPV Post-fight conference interviews
If Valentina Shevchenko had gone winless thrice, it would have been a big blow. It is because the controversial judging took away a win from her. In 2023 March, Alexa Grasso pulled off a round 4 face crank submission upset. They met again 6 months later at the inaugural Noche Event where they faced a split draw. Judge Mike Bell turned in a controversial 10-8 scorecard in favor of the then-Mexican champ.
‘Bullet’ always argued she did enough to win that fight. Consequently, this was a clear element of slow animosity leading up to the UFC 306 trilogy bout. Noche UFC tributes have been a clear push to celebrate Mexican champ Grasso so far; it stalled the ebb of the women’s flyweight division for long. The new champion exposed selective ESPN coverage as to what afflicted views on her scraps with Grasso.
‘Powerful’ Valentina Shevchenko feels happy after flipping the script and winning
Valentina Shevchenko entered the UFC 306 PPV foray 0-1-1 against Grasso. Even without a finish, Shevchenko was happy to have beaten Alexa Grasso in a decisive manner. However, she feels she didn’t get enough credit, especially from ESPN camcorders, for what she achieved in the rematch.
Valentina Shevchenko is happy to regain what’s hers (Source: es.agfight.com/YT)Controlling the narrative on fight snippet telecast is nothing new. The banner’s official UFC Channel (@ufc on YT) used to have big snippets on Ronda Rousey and flyweight G.O.A.T. Demetrious Johnson. Now, they only have a handful of celebratory videos.
Rousey, specifically, is missing a big chunk after the fadeout narrative when she faced defeats from Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Recently, UFC 305 Fight Week ‘Countdown’ vlog recut tried to snub Francis Ngannou from the video.
UFC also came under fire for presenting Tafon Nchukwi as their only Cameroonian fighter, not Ngannou or Thierry Sokoudjo. Valentina Shevchenko felt ESPN favored Alexa Grasso more than her. However, she finally feels free from such a possible agenda push.
It was my third fight with Alexa and I don’t know, I just feel so different, so powerful, so strong – even better than I was a few years ago…I’m so happy about everything – definitely…I’m so happy to return what belongs to me. It was one year without the belt. Really right now, it’s difficult to present all the emotions going through me.
Valentina Shevchenko further said
After defending her flyweight title seven times in her first reign, Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) is finally undeniable and free to write a new chapter again. Now, she’s happy to have reversed the script that kept the Mexican champ agenda as a more dominant narrative. Shevchenko is the first two-time women’s flyweight champion in UFC competition after UFC 306.
Her nine UFC women’s flyweight victories are the most in divisional history. Shevchenko’s victories in UFC WMMA championship fights are second-most after Nunes [11]. On a 10-1-1 roll since dropping to flyweight, she has no plans to stop. Top names like Manon Fiorot, Natalia Silva, Rose Namajunas, and Erin Blanchfield await.
