Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko will face each other as rival coaches in the TUF 32 series.

That is according to the CEO of the UFC, Dana White. The pair have a lot of history, having faced each other twice in the Octogan. They originally faced each other at UFC 285 in 2023. Grasso shocked the world by securing a submission win to get the UFC Flyweight Belt.

The duo then had a rematch six months later at a UFC Noche event. That ended in a split draw following controversial circumstances. Mike Bell’s controversial 10-8 scorecard in the final round for Grasso prevented Shevchenko from winning the belt. While there was an expectation that there would be a trilogy, that result left a hugely controversial moment.

Grasso vs Shevchenko

“When I found out that one of the judges scored 10-8, I’m like, this guy should be f****** investigated for this. This is the craziest s*** I’ve ever seen in my life….In title [fights] — there’s so much at stake in a title fight…For that to be a 10-8 round, there is no excuse for that. There is no excuse for that 10-8.

“Unfortunately, you’ll probably never have the opportunity to have him sitting somewhere like this and ask him that question, because only he knows the answer to that question. Valentina gets dropped in [Round 2] — that’s not a 10-8 but the fifth round is a 10-8? It literally makes no sense. I get it, why the athletic commission wouldn’t want to put their guys out in front of the media and deal with the fans and all the bulls***,” Dana White said

 Shevchenko at one point even considered appealing the decision. 

“[My manager and I] are definitely planning to meet this week. Right now, I don’t want to say anything ‘Yes or no’, but I think it’s a matter of time to measure everything and what it’s like to rewatch the fight. Maybe we’ll have more explanation with more evidence…but right now, it’s time to think about it and make the right decision. I’m happy with my performance, and this is what counts. That’s what matters,” Shevchenko stated

White’s Announcement

Now, the two fighters can follow up their rivalry by taking on each other on the show. Conor McGregor took on Michael Chandler in last year’s show. The Irishman lost the overall show, but McGregor won the coach’s challenge. Since then, there has been an expectation that they would fight each other. McGregor announced he would be facing Chandler on June 29 at 185 pounds. Dana White shut down that date, but he has confirmed that Grasso will face Shevchenko on the show.