Alexa Grasso stands as the last line of defense for her countrymen on Mexican Independence Day. What started as a banner year with three UFC champions representing Mexico has quickly deteriorated. Grasso stands on her own, defending the UFC women’s flyweight championship against the division’s greatest export Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 headlines UFC Fight Night, dubbed “Noche UFC,” in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Grasso (16-3) eclipsed expectations at UFC 285 in March by upsetting Shevchenko via fourth-round submission. It was the third consecutive month in which a Mexican fighter won a UFC title. Brandon Moreno reclaimed the flyweight title in January and Yair Rodriguez captured interim featherweight gold in February. Grasso’s male counterparts lost in subsequent title fights, leaving her as the last remaining Mexican titleholder.
“I always said that making history is never easy,” Grasso told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “But I’ve been working so hard every single day of my life to be at this moment.
“I don’t think [I’d] call it pressure. I think it’s more motivation. We have done so much in the sport. We’ve been evolving so hard and this keeps me with tons of motivation to keep…
