On September 12, the UFC holds its yearly Noche UFC event. Former champion Alexa Grasso returns to action that night in the Octagon. She takes on former title challenger Manon Fiorot in a 3-round match-up.
Multiple sources have confirmed the booking to Heavy.com. The event takes place at the Desert Diamond Arena, formerly known as Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
In Search Of Another Title Shot
Manon Fiorot has to go into hostile territory to secure a new title shot at flyweight. Since making her UFC debut in 2021, the 36-year-old French fighter has established herself as one of the top contenders in her division. Fiorot burst onto the scene with three consecutive victories in her debut year, quickly climbing up the rankings. Following a win over former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara, she faced a massive step up in competition against former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in France.
Fiorot emerged victorious after three hard-fought rounds. In early 2024, she secured a dominant victory over Erin Blanchfield in an unofficial title eliminator. It was enough to challenge champion Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title in May 2025. In a close fight, Shevchenko won via unanimous decision. Fiorot bounced back five months later with a quick finish over Jasmine Jasudavicius. The French fighter hoped for a title shot but has to get past former champion Alexa Grasso before getting another shot at gold.
Fan Favorite Wants Fourth Fight With Shevchenko
In 2016, the then-unbeaten Alexa Grasso signed with the UFC. The Mexican fighter started with a win over Heather-Jo Clark, but struggled to put together a winning streak in the UFC. After going 3-3 in her first six UFC appearances, Grasso made the pivotal decision to leave the strawweight division and move up to flyweight. In hindsight, it was the best career move she could have made. Grasso looked significantly stronger at 125 pounds, quickly stringing together a four-fight winning streak with notable victories over Maycee Barber, Joanne Wood, and Viviane Araújo. Those dominant performances earned her a title shot in early 2023 against long-standing champion Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso shocked the world by submitting Shevchenko with a face crank in the fourth round to capture the flyweight title.
Six months later, she retained her title against Shevchenko via a controversial split draw. Due to the inconclusive result, the UFC booked a trilogy bout a year later, where Shevchenko reclaimed the title by dominating Grasso in a unanimous decision victory. Following her title loss, the Mexican fan favorite faced another setback when she was outclassed on the feet by Natália Silva, dropping a unanimous decision. Snapping her two-fight losing streak, Grasso recently stepped into the Octagon for a highly anticipated rematch against Maycee Barber. In what became one of the most brutal finishes in women’s MMA history, Grasso knocked Barber out cold in the very first round. With momentum fully back on her side, a potential victory over top contender Manon Fiorot would firmly catapult Grasso back into title contention.
Noche UFC – September 12
- Manon Fiorot vs. Alexa Grasso
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