Alexa Grasso to bid farewell to Strawweight division and move to a "healthier" weight class

Alexa Grasso was supposed to go up against Claudia Gadelha at UFC 246 on Saturday night in Las Vegas. But the pay-per-view main card fight will not be happening anymore since Grasso missed the Strawweight mark by a whopping margin of 5.5 pounds over the allowed limit.

Her opponent Gadelha still wanted the fight to happen, according to her social media post, but Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) did not let that happen. Strawweights are allowed a three-pound allowance under NSAC rules, but Grasso weighing at 121.5 pounds meant there was barely a chance for a fight.

In an Instagram post, later on, Grasso opened up on social media about her struggles of keeping to Strawweight at her age and announced her decision to move to a different weight class which is better for health as well as her career.

Grasso moves to Flyweight division

Grasso began the long Instagram post by apologizing to her opponent and the promotion for the cancellation of the fight and then went on to share the sacrifices of staying in the Strawweight class.

"I want to apologize to Claudia Gadelha and the UFC. I know this is a fight all were waiting a lot, including me. I trained very much for this and I did everything to lose those pounds... You don’t know how difficult it has been lately to keep me in this weigh class. It was not a lack of discipline because even if I do not have a fight I’m ALWAYS on diet."

Grasso said that now that she is 26 years old, her body's growth and changing metabolism are making it difficult to maintain a bodyweight of 115 pounds and that she had pushed herself to the limit to stick to her duties as a fighter on many occasions.

"I have lived in recent years to the limit of what a body needs to be healthy, and yet I have always fulfilled my obligations. Let's not talk about a flu or if my period is crossed because that added to the diet had made the weigh cuts a real suffering."

Grasso concluded the post by saying that she and her team has decided upon doing the "smartest and healthiest" course of action, which is to say goodbye to Strawweight division and move to Flyweight division (125 lbs).

Here is the Instagram post by Grasso:

View this post on Instagram

I want to apologize to Claudia Gadelha and the UFC I know this is a fight all were waiting a lot, including me. I trained very much for this and I did everything to lose those pounds. The commission did not allow our combat although my opponent and I agreed with the sanction this implied for me. The doctors did not allow me to compete. You don’t know how difficult it has been lately to keep me in this weigh class. It was not a lack of discipline because even if I do not have a fight I’m ALWAYS on diet. I turned 26 and my body is not the same, I am growing and I am in this biological process where my metabolism is changing. I have lived in recent years to the limit of what a body needs to be healthy, and yet I have always fulfilled my obligations. Let's not talk about a flu or if my period is crossed because that added to the diet had made the weigh cuts a real suffering. I never complain or tell these things because I am not that kind of person and I always show you my best attitude. My team and I have decided that the smartest and healthiest thing to do is to be in other weigh class. With all the respect that it deserves and of course pain in my heart I say goodbye to the strawweight division 115 LB This year has a different goal for me and I officially move to Flyweight 125 LB I know that at this weight I will be healthier and stronger giving my body all the nutrients it needs. Thanks to all the people who support me, my Lobo team and my coaches who are with me every day and know that what I do is completely a commitment to my sport and my career. I start a new stage in my life!

A post shared by Alexa Grasso (@alexa_grasso) on Jan 17, 2020 at 7:07pm PST

While Grasso will possibly have to wait for her next call, Gadelha will be given her show purse for making weight and is likely to be booked for upcoming cards.

UFC 246 can be watched live and exclusively in India on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 1 HD in English and on Sony Ten 3 and Ten 3 HD in Hindi at 8:30 AM on 19th January 2020.