"It was weird" - Top UFC light heavyweight taken aback by Mexican crowd cheering Alexa Grasso's draw against Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko put on a commendable performance against Alexa Grasso in their rematch at UFC Noche. Much has been made about the fight and the controversy surrounding the judges scorecards.
In the latest episode of the Believe You Me podcast hosted by Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith, the pair discussed the fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. Bisping asked Smith, who was in attendance for the fight, what the reaction of the crowd was. Here's what 'Lionheart' had to say:
"Yeah, it was weird....Yeah, who cheers a draw? Well okay, they booed the draw, and then they were like, and still, I thought that was weird like that they and still and announced her as still the champion. Of course that's true, of course it's true, but it was just weird, the theatrics of it were weird to me and then everyone went crazy. But yeah, it was a weird weird thing."
Anthony Smith could not understand why a draw was being celebrated as if Alexa Grasso won the fight. The fight was closely contested and despite Valentina Shevchenko giving it her all, the bout was scored as a draw and the Mexican retained her belt.
Take a look at the video (Quote from 0:47 onwards)
Valentina Shevchenko believes judge Mike Bell is going to live with his 'mistake' forever
Valentina Shevchenko believed she did enough to tilt the scorecards in her favor at UFC Noche. However, judge Mike Bell's score of 10-8 for the final round was what ultimately ruined her chances of winning the bout via decision. The decision has not gone down well with UFC fans or UFC boss, Dana White. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Shevchenko spoke about the fight and Bell's decision:
"Few things in the fight was completely unfair and yes, definitely the scorecards in the final round, in the fifth round, 10-8 and Mike Bell, he did like something that's unexplicable things. And I think the whole world would love to hear the explanation. But from the other side, it's not me, he is gonna live with that mistake forever."
Take a look at the interview:
The comments section was full of mixed responses where some believed Valentina Shevchenko did enough to win, while others believed that Grasso deserved the nod. The fans are now calling for an immediate rematch to settle the controversy.