Tag: Valentina Shevchenko

Valentina Shevchenko condemns Mike Bell’s 10-8 scorecard: ‘He’s going to live with that mistake forever’

Valentina ShevchenkoValentina Shevchenko is still fuming from her controversial split draw against Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC. On Saturday night, fans were treated to an instant classic as the flyweight greats ran back their UFC 285 clash that saw Grasso score a shocking fourth-round submission over ‘Bullet’ to claim the 125-pound title. Unfortunately, the highly entertaining […]

Valentina Shevchenko

Valentina Shevchenko is still fuming from her controversial split draw against Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC.

On Saturday night, fans were treated to an instant classic as the flyweight greats ran back their UFC 285 clash that saw Grasso score a shocking fourth-round submission over ‘Bullet’ to claim the 125-pound title. Unfortunately, the highly entertaining 25-minute sequel that fans witnessed was quickly forgotten once Octagon announced Bruce Buffer revealed that the bout was ruled a split draw.

The controversy came courtesy of a fifth-round scorecard turned in by Mike Bell who inexplicably scored the final five minutes a 10-8 in favor of Alexa Grasso. Everyone was left dumbfounded by the score, including UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby who couldn’t contain his shock once informed of the result seconds before the live crowd was clued in.

Shevchenko was understandably upset, especially considering the fact that if Mike Bell had scored the round a much more understandable 10-9 in favor of Grasso, ‘Bullet’ would be a two-time flyweight champion. Instead, the division is left in utter chaos due to the ineptitude of one incompetent judge.

“I’m very proud of what I did inside the Octagon and I do know exactly three rounds for certain… Rounds three through five were my rounds,” Shevchenko told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “I won those rounds and from the other side, I think a few things in the fight were completely unfair,” Shevchenko said. “Definitely the scorecard in the final round. In the fifth round, the 10-8. [Judge] Mike Bell did some inexplicable things and I think the whole world would love to hear an explanation. But from the other side, it’s not me. He’s going to live with that mistake forever.”

Valentina Shevchenko Says It’s Only Fair that a Trilogy Bout with Alexa Grasso Takes Place in Kyrgyzstan

Moments after the controversial scorecard was announced, Valentina Shevchenko rubbed many fans the wrong way when she suggested that the Mexican Independence Day setting likely swayed judges to favor Alexa Grasso, who was born in Guadalajara. She echoed those same sentiments during her appearance at the post-fight press event. Speaking with Helwani, ‘Bullet’ believes that in the interest of fairness, the potential trilogy bout should take place in Kyrgyzstan where she would finally have the home-field advantage.

“I think it would be fair and very right to have the next event in Kyrgyzstan on the Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan because it has to be equal,” Shevchenko said. “We cannot do Mexican Independence Day twice, right?”

The UFC has never produced an event in the Central Asian country, but in 2021, the promotion opened a brand new UFC Gym in Bishkek in hopes of seeing a massive growth in the participation of Kyrgyz athletes in mixed martial arts.

Valentina Shevchenko shocked at 10-8 round loss in Noche UFC fight: ‘I couldn’t believe that it happened’

Valentina Shevchenko shocked at 10-8 round at Noche UFC I couldn't believe itFormer undisputed flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko – amongst many others, has been left perplexed by a 10-8 round in favor of opponent, Alexa Grasso, in the fifth frame of their flyweight title rematch at Noche UFC over the course of the weekend. Shevchenko, a former undisputed flyweight champion under the banner of the promotion, fought […]

Valentina Shevchenko shocked at 10-8 round at Noche UFC I couldn't believe it

Former undisputed flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko – amongst many others, has been left perplexed by a 10-8 round in favor of opponent, Alexa Grasso, in the fifth frame of their flyweight title rematch at Noche UFC over the course of the weekend.

Shevchenko, a former undisputed flyweight champion under the banner of the promotion, fought Mexican favorite, Grasso to a split draw decision (48-47, 47-48, 47-47) in a heralded title rematch between the two – questionably dropping a 10-8 to Grasso on judge, Michael Bell’s scorecard, resulting in the pair’s split draw judging.

However, many in the mixed martial arts community have disputed the round and judging from Bell, in particular, including Shevchenko, in fact, who even went as far as to boldly claim that the judges in attendance at Noche UFC were likely pressured due to the bout taking place on Mexican Independence Day.

Valentina Shevchenko questions 10-8 round loss in Noche UFC split draw

And in the immediate aftermath of her judging draw, competitive striker, Shevchenko claimed that was entirely surprise to learn she was on the wrong side of a 10-8 round scoring in the fifth frame.

“From my experience, a 10-8 is when one fighter completely cannot do nothing,” Valentina Shevchenko told assembled media after Noche UFC. “It’s like running around waiting, looking for an escape from the Octagon, it’s miserable. In the fifth round, it was, like, four minutes or however many minutes in stand-up, and she (Alexa Grasso) didn’t land one punch. She could only take the back position in the last minute, minute and a half. I don’t remember now. But even there, it was not damage. It wasn’t too much damage to succeed with this 10-8.”

“I couldn’t believe that it happened in this fifth round,” Valentina Shevchenko said of Michael Bell’s scorecard. “It’s a 10-8? It was surprising to me, very surprising.” (Transcribed by Bloody Elbow)

As far as a potential trilogy to settle their rivalry goes, however, Shevchenko may have to weigh-up new opponents, as Grasso has already noted her interest in fresh matchups against the likes of either Erin Blanchfield, or Manon Fiorot next.

What’s next for Valentina Shevchenko after Noche UFC?

The UFC cover curse strikes again as Adesanya and Shevchenko come up short in consecutive weeks

UFCThe UFC cover curse has claimed two victims in the span of a week. Despite entering his UFC 293 title fight as a significant 7-to-1 favorite, Israel Adesanya came up short and surrendered his gold to Sean Strickland in a lopsided defeat that stunned fight fans around the world. A week later, flyweight great Valentina […]

UFC

The UFC cover curse has claimed two victims in the span of a week.

Despite entering his UFC 293 title fight as a significant 7-to-1 favorite, Israel Adesanya came up short and surrendered his gold to Sean Strickland in a lopsided defeat that stunned fight fans around the world.

A week later, flyweight great Valentina Shevchenko failed to regain the 125-pound title after her rematch with Alexa Grasso at Noche was controversially ruled a split draw.

Both fighters were revealed to be cover athletes for the EA Sports UFC 5 video game scheduled to be released on October, 27. Coincidence? Perhaps, but this is not the first time that a fighter has suffered a massive defeat shortly after seeing their mug slapped on the cover of the popular video game series.

For football fans in North America, all of this probably sounds familiar. The Madden Curse was something that had seemingly plagued players on the gridiron for years. It almost became an annual trend to watch how the latest cover athlete would see their career completely collapse. Daunte Culpepper, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Vince Young, Adrian Peterson, and even NFL legend Brett Favre all found themselves suffering the wrath of the curse at one time or another.

Unfortunately, it appears the curse is not limited to one sport.

Are you Convinced That the UFC Cover Curse is Real?

Need some additional evidence? Welterweight fan favorite Jorge Masvidal was revealed to be the cover athlete for UFC 4 in 2020. That same year, he suffered a unanimous decision loss to then-titleholder Kamaru Usman. In fact, ‘Gamebred’ would not win another fight and announced his retirement in 2023 following a four-fight losing streak.

In 2018, Irish megastar Conor McGregor was revealed as the cover athlete for UFC 3. The Notorious’ would go on to suffer a fourth-round rear-naked choke defeat at the hands of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor has since lost two of his last three inside the Octagon and broke his leg in the opening round of a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in 2021. He has not returned to the cage since.

Ronda Rousey, who appeared in the UFC 3 artwork alongside McGregor, found herself on the wrong side of a 48-second knockout courtesy of Amanda Nunes after being announced as a cover athlete. She retired from the sport shortly after.

With the curse claiming Israel Adeanya’s middleweight title and Valentina Shevchenko’s hopes of becoming a two-time champion this year, is it just a matter of time before featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, who will also appear on the cover of UFC 5, relinquishes his 145-pound crown?

Alexa Grasso unsure of trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko after Noche UFC: “I wouldn’t like to stop the division’

Off the back of her split draw decision with former champion, Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of Noche UFC last night, pound-for-pound best, Alexa Grasso admits she’s not completely sold on a trilogy fight with the former, claiming she does not…

Alexa Grasso unsure trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko Noche UFC hold up division

Off the back of her split draw decision with former champion, Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of Noche UFC last night, pound-for-pound best, Alexa Grasso admits she’s not completely sold on a trilogy fight with the former, claiming she does not want to “stop the division” and chasing contenders.

Headlining a Mexican Independence Day card in Las Vegas last night, Grasso retained her undisputed flyweight title in a controversial split draw (48-47, 47-48, 47-47) decision against Shevchenko – in the pair’s hotly-contested title rematch.

Attempting to close the curtain definitively on her rivalry with the Krgsyzstan striker, Grasso turned in a huge upset victory at UFC 285 back in March, submitting Shevchenko with a third round neck crank submission win in a rallying performance.

Alexa Grasso unsure about immediate trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko

And emerging from ‘Sin City’ with her championship in tow last night, Grasso, who has been chased most recently atop the division by the surging pair of both Erin Blanchfield, and Manon Fiorot, remained coy on a trilogy fight with Shevchenko immediately, amid the presence of fresh competition.

“It’s an interesting question,” Alexa Grasso said of a trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko whilst speaking with assembled media after Noche UFC. “I wouldn’t like to stop the division. You know, there’s a lot of girls fighting a lot, you know, to have this opportunity like I did. So I don’t like to stop it – it all depends on the UFC.”

“If they want a trilogy, let’s do this,” Alexa Grasso explained. “I know how it is to be fighting all the time and to wait for your spot, and I wouldn’t like to just stop the division.”

Would you like to see Alexa Grasso fight Valentina Shevchenko for a third time?

Split draw between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko left UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby dumbfounded

Alexa GrassoUFC matchmaker Sean Shelby was left just as confused as everyone else by the controversial split draw that allowed Alexa Grasso to keep ahold of the flyweight world title on Saturday night. Headling Noche UFC inside a packed T-Mobile Arena, Alexa Grasso put her 125-pound title on the line for the very first time against […]

Alexa Grasso

UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby was left just as confused as everyone else by the controversial split draw that allowed Alexa Grasso to keep ahold of the flyweight world title on Saturday night.

Headling Noche UFC inside a packed T-Mobile Arena, Alexa Grasso put her 125-pound title on the line for the very first time against the same woman she took the gold from, Valentina Shevchenko. Throughout the 25-minute affair, both women put on an instant classic that could have gone either way. Unfortunately, fight fans were treated to yet another controversial decision as Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer revealed that the bout was ruled a split draw, allowing Grasso to retain her title.

In a clip making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter), UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby can be seen brandishing a look of pure confusion after being informed of the decision by Buffer seconds before he addressed the live crowd.

Is Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko Trilogy Bout the Next Move to Make?

The split draw ruling came as a result of MMA judge Mike Bell awarding Alexa Grasso a 10-8 in the fifth round of the bout. Everybody on hand, including commentators Jon Anik, Dominick Cruz, and Daniel Cormier, was left completely confused by the decision and the 10-8 score. Had Bell scored the round a much more understandable 10-9 in favor of Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko would have found herself favored on two of the three scorecards, making her a two-time flyweight world champion.

Instead, Alexa Grasso will retain the title and the flyweight division could potentially find itself held up even further as the UFC decides whether or not they are going to complete the trilogy.

Do you want to see Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3 or is it time for the flyweight division to move on and give another fighter in the division a shot at UFC gold?