Grasso batters Fiorot to unanimous decision at Noche UFC, eyes flyweight title return

Alexa Grasso put on a statement performance at Noche UFC in Arizona on Saturday, overwhelming Manon Fiorot with relentless combinations to earn a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in her favour.

The win is Grasso’s second in a row and immediately raises her profile as a flyweight title contender. Mirroring her earlier victory over Maycee Barber, the former champion came out aggressively from the opening bell, looking to impose her boxing and force a finish.

At the close of the first round, Grasso landed a sharp punch that sent Fiorot to the canvas. The knockdown came too close to the horn for Grasso to capitalise, but it set the tone for the remainder of the fight. Fiorot made adjustments as the bout progressed, reducing some of the damage, yet she could never find a consistent answer to Grasso’s speed and accuracy.

Grasso never relented, stringing together blistering combinations across all three rounds and maintaining a clear lead on the scorecards throughout. Fiorot showed resilience in surviving the contest, but the judges’ verdict was never seriously in doubt.

“Viva Mexico!” Grasso told the Noche UFC crowd after the decision was announced. “This fired me up. My boxing is my signature. Now I’ll get that belt back one day.”

The path to a title shot has some clarity. With Valentina Shevchenko sidelined by injury, the flyweight championship is set to be contested at UFC 332 between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong. Whoever emerges from that fight will likely find Grasso — now on a two-fight winning streak with back-to-back impressive showings — near the front of the queue.