UFC Flyweight World Champion Alexa Grasso is relishing the opportunity to coach on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter- adding that it was something she had always dreamt of doing.
It was announced last week that Grasso and former Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko would be the two women at the helm of the teams in the upcoming season of the show.
For the 30-year-old, the opportunity is just another, in a long list of things, she aspired to do when first deciding that she would commit her life to mixed martial arts. Speaking to the media as part of The Ultimate Fighter media day, she said:
“I have accomplished a lot of things I dreamed off. First was to be on a poster, just me. Then, to win a championship and of course, it was a dream to be The Ultimate Fighter coach and it happened. It talks a lot about the job I’m doing, not just me – also Valentina, we have a great history, we are doing amazing things. Women are working super hard and I am proud of that.”
There is certainly a great history between the two. The first meeting between the pair came at UFC 285, when Grasso entered the bout as the underdog and the 8th women to try and take the belt from Shevchenko. Having been so dominant for so long, many people believed it would be another successful title defense for the long reigning champion. However, the Mexican had other ideas and handed Shevchenko her first defeat since 2017, with a four round rear naked choke.
They met again 6 months later, when Grasso retained her belt by way of a split decision draw.
The two women will be coaching a full male class and when asked if she felt there could be any challenges involved, Grasso admitted she can’t see any issues arising as she has been teaching for so many years, she feels more than equipped to deal with any situation she is put in.
“I have been a coach for a long, long time. I started with my Uncle and my Dad, Team Grasso Extreme Training so it just throws me back to those days. I used to teach kids, women, teenagers, now in my gym, with the experience I have had in the UFC, I have a lot of teammates that are male. So, I know how to motivate them, I have something to share with each one of them and I know how important these fights are for each one of them so I am committed to do something to help them achieve their goals. “
In terms of her team, Grasso would love to see nothing more than each member of her team succeed but realizes that is easier said than done in such a competition.
“I have this goal that I want all of my team to win. Of course, it is going to be tough because I know they have one opportunity, just one. The biggest opportunity to be a part of the UFC so I know how big this is for each one of them so I am committed to give my best for them to win.”
It is expected that the trilogy between the two coaches could go down at UFC 306, at The Sphere as part of the UFC Noche card, a fight night celebrating Mexican Independence Day. When asked how preparation may differ with the pair having already spent almost 45 minutes in the cage together, Grasso said that not much will change on her part, other than looking for the finish once more.
“Every fight is kind of similar. You know I love striking, first fight I was able to touch her, second fight I got a knock down so my goal in the third fight is, of course, to finish the fight."
