"Hope next time they'll check more carefully" - Valentina Shevchenko blames negligence by UFC officials for bloodshed against Alexa Grasso

Alexa Grasso challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women's flyweight title in the co-main event at UFC 285.

Grasso pulled off one of the biggest upsets of all time, submitting 'Bullet' late in the fourth round of a closely contested bout. Shevchenko now claims that the officials showed some negligence in checking their fingernails ahead of her UFC 285 clash against Grasso.

According to 'Bullet', her Mexican opponent cut her open with fingernails in the very first round. The former UFC flyweight champ said on The MMA Hour:

"It was a little bit blood in the beginning of the first round and people could see it’s kind of like short strike or something like that. But it wasn’t damage, unfortunately it was lack of checking length of fingernails. That’s why, the fingernails went like down to the skin and rip off the part of it, so it was like light blood. But it was not any cut, it wasn’t any damage of strike, it was just like – I hope next time they will check more carefully."

Catch Shevchenko's comments below:

Valentina Shevchenko questions referee Jason Herzog's actions in latest fights

Ahead of her clash against Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko defended her title via a closely contested and controversial split decision victory over Taila Santos at UFC 275. Jason Herzog was the referee on both occasions.

Shevchenko has now accused Herzog of unjust interventions in both of her latest outings.

"There was a combination where I strike and ended the combination with a head kick, and I felt Taila [got hurt] and I wanted to finish the fight, but he stopped the fight and he let her breathe. I was like, ‘OK, this doesn’t sound right, but maybe it was just the situation.’"

"But in this fight, we were on the ground position, I was in her guard and landing big shots over her, and he just decided to stand us up and continue the striking...It could be a [combination] of all these little situations together, that’s why it happened, what happened at the end"

It must be noted that Shevchenko landed a low blow on Santos, causing the intervention, which came only after 'Bullet' had landed a head kick. Meanwhile, Herzog recently called for a stand-up in the UFC 285 co-main event after Valentina Shevchenko spent two minutes in top control without improving her position.

ALEXA GRASSO HAS SUBMITTED VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO!!

WE HAVE A NEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION 👑🇲🇽 #UFC285 https://t.co/t4HMH5vXnw