UFC women’s flyweight, Alexa Grasso (14-3) was not planning on being in the main event this weekend at UFC Fight Night 212. She was also not planning on it taking three times to finally face Viviane Araujo (11-3) but has been ready for this fight since it’s first cancelation back in January of this year. “This fight has to happen,” explained Grasso. “I always train, so it doesn’t matter if a fight gets canceled or postponed, you have to be in the gym every day to train. This is our job.”
With the main event change, so do the rounds, as this one will be five rounds instead of three. And Grasso welcomes that change with open arms. “I’m one- hundred percent sure that five rounds for us will help us a lot.” said Grasso. Ten more minutes fighting are like ‘oh my god, amazing.’ It added a lot of challenge to our training, it’s wild. So, it’s interesting for me and I can’t wait to feel that emotion that I will be living on Saturday night.”
Along with the murmurs of this fight being a potential tight contender fight with the winner taking on current flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko next with a win this weekend, Grasso is also one of the main faces that represents Latino fighters in the UFC, so this event being the spotlight card of Hispanic Heritage Month makes it even more meaningful for Grasso. “Being a fighter in Mexico and for all Latin women fills my heart a lot,” explained Grasso. “I just hope I can do great for the next generation because that is always the goal. You open the door, but the next ones are coming. I just hope I’m a good role model so they can do better.”
Finishing her sixth year under the UFC banner, Grasso has seemingly come into her own lately. Her three fight win streak shows that, and she balances rest and reps the best she’s ever done in her career thus far. “I can definitely say I’m the happiest Alexa I’ve ever been,” said Grasso. “I think when I started in the UFC, I was too obsessed doing everything perfect. I was angry all the time and wanted to train all the time and was doing a lot more than I had to. That’s why I had some injuries. I learned a lot from that and I’m better now.”
As for her opponent and the fight itself this Saturday night in Las Vegas, Grasso is excited to show that she is exactly where she is supposed to be at in the division and organization and wants to put on a good show for all her fans and those tuning in. “I just want to show that I’m evolving,” said Grasso. “I’m known as a striker, which is my strongest weapon but in front of me I have an amazing opponent. She’s really aggressive and she is a different athlete than I’ve faced before. She moves a lot, and she’s aggressive. She’s the strongest opponent I’ve trained for, so I want to show that I’m able and ready to compete with any type of opponent.”
Alexa Grasso will take on Viviane Araujo this Saturday night, October 15th, in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs Araujo on ESPN+
Photo credit: Courtesy of UFC and Getty Images
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