Media Was Valentina dominating before she lost?

[NicholasJBasile]

Valentina seems to think so. She said it post fight and doubled down on this IG post from a few hours ago.

I don't, to me it seemed like Grasso adjusted to everything Valentina did and she got frustrated. What do the sherbros think? Discuss.

No, but it has always seemed that in her head she feels she is dominating even in fights that she didn't. I had her ahead 2 rounds to 1, but she also felt she was in no threat to lose in her last fight against Santos either, which I felt she lost. I do feel she was on her way to winning, but Grasso deserves credit where credit is due and won with a fantastic finish taking advantage of an ill-timed technique.

 

[Gamer2k4]

If the fight had kept on going the way it was going, Valentina was absolutely going to win. That's not the same as dominating, admittedly, but it does lend credibility to the notion of "she was winning until she lost."

People saw Alexa holding her own with Valentina on the feet and act like she was winning it handily. She wasn't. If two nobodies had had the same Round 1, people would have called it a very even round with a perhaps slight edge for the challenger. But since it's Valentina (just like people do with Jones), people treat "not smashing the competition 50-43" as the same as "rusty/bad/getting dominated."

 

[C0NCH3TO]

No. Love the tears and thank gawd for Grasso.

 

[mudrubble]

She's 35, past her prime. Expected tbf. I don't think she will be champion again

If it really is age then I agree. If it was lack of focus you never know.

 

[mudrubble]

If the fight had kept on going the way it was going, Valentina was absolutely going to win. That's not the same as dominating, admittedly, but it does lend credibility to the notion of "she was winning until she lost."

People saw Alexa holding her own with Valentina on the feet and act like she was winning it handily. She wasn't. If two nobodies had had the same Round 1, people would have called it a very even round with a perhaps slight edge for the challenger. But since it's Valentina (just like people do with Jones), people treat "not smashing the competition 50-43" as the same as "rusty/bad/getting dominated."

The way her gas tank was depleting at a rate far, far faster than Grasso's, there was exactly a 0% chance the fight could have kept going the way it was going. Val wasn't going to win that fight unless they had a half-hour intermission at some point.

 

[OneOfOne]

She was clearly winning but she wasn't "dominating". Grossa was in the fight the hold time.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Maybe it was the grappling heavy game plan?

or maybe she got stunned - which she did multiple times during the fight.

Got Alexa in bad positions on the ground only to have Alexa get out - causing mental fatigue.

A high paced fight in both the standup and grappling which killed her conditioning (when's the last time she's really had to put in work and fight hard?).

Was fatigued, slow and telegraphed a spinning shot that a Fresh Alexa saw coming a mile away.

 

[drbolony]

Her body looked softer than usual too. At no point did she look like herself. I think she didn't prepare properly but I don't know why.

Usually agree with you brother, but she looks the same to me:

I do think age could be catching up to her though, and some of those athletic advantages like explosion, reactions, spacial awareness, etc could be diminishing. Her and her sister have the exact same training regiment,and look how much different their careers have gone. Imo the differentiating factor here is their athletic ability.

 

[KoChang]

She was winning but it was competitive. Shevchenko's jab was really taking its toll. Grasso looked good though, really improved and tough.

 

[drbolony]

or maybe she got stunned - which she did multiple times during the fight.

Got Alexa in bad positions on the ground only to have Alexa get out - causing mental fatigue.

A high paced fight in both the standup and grappling which killed her conditioning (when's the last time she's really had to put in work and fight hard?).

Was fatigued, slow and telegraphed a spinning shot that a Fresh Alexa saw coming a mile away.

Excellent take bro, I agree. I thought Alexa adjusted to everything perfectly. As soon as she lowered her level, Alexa started stuffing all of Val's TD's. The lack of grappling success and the failed TD's could have definitely attributed to mental fatigue and frustration.

Also grappling taxes a different energy system than striking, if you aren't a lifelong grappler and attempt to employ a grappling heavy game plan, it makes sense that you would fatigue.

 

[mudrubble]

Usually agree with you brother, but she looks the same to me:

I do think age could be catching up to her though, and some of those athletic advantages like explosion, reactions, spacial awareness, etc could be diminishing. Her and her sister have the exact same training regiment,and look how much different their careers have gone. Imo the differentiating factor here is their athletic ability.

Ok, but the Valentina in that bottom pic is not as soft as the top pic. And these pics look good but in the cage as soon as I saw her I asked my friend "does she look softer to you?" before the fight even started. Maybe it IS because of age, but she looked softer to me. And she looked to be a step behind where I expect her to be very early on in the fight. MIGHT be because Grasso hit her, mind you. Might be age. Might be distractions.

You could be right - maybe it is just age. Time will rat out all the details.

 

[J180]

Whatever you want to call it, she was in control and winning clearly to that point.

 

[mudrubble]

Excellent take bro, I agree. I thought Alexa adjusted to everything perfectly. As soon as she lowered her level, Alexa started stuffing all of Val's TD's. The lack of grappling success and the failed TD's could have definitely attributed to mental fatigue and frustration.

Also grappling taxes a different energy system than striking, if you aren't a lifelong grappler and attempt to employ a grappling heavy game plan, it makes sense that you would fatigue.

But she was gasping in the 2nd round. C'mon man. That's not Valentina's level of grappling conditioning. She was like Francis in there, laying on a chick in the 2nd round.

 

[drbolony]

But she was gasping in the 2nd round. C'mon man. That's not Valentina's level of grappling conditioning. She was like Francis in there, laying on a chick in the 2nd round.

Somewhat true, Val is usually able to hold position when she grapples, Alexa never accepted position and made Val fight for everything on the ground. As much credit as Alexa gets for her boxing, her base is BJJ and she's a much more natural grappler than Valentina.

Valentina gave no credit to Alexa post fight and keeps blaming the loss on "a single mistake". I think if Val felt she was out of shape, she would've mentioned it by now.

 

[Fight Professor]

She would have won but dominating is not the right word.

 

[mudrubble]

Somewhat true, Val is usually able to hold position when she grapples, Alexa never accepted position and made Val fight for everything on the ground. As much credit as Alexa gets for her boxing, her base is BJJ and she's a much more natural grappler than Valentina.

Valentina gave no credit to Alexa post fight and keeps blaming the loss on "a single mistake". I think if Val felt she was out of shape, she would've mentioned it by now.

I like Val but I think she is, like many/most champs, delusional as a strategy to maintain self-belief. I would NEVER expect her to admit she was out of shape, ESPECIALLY if it's due to age and slowing down. I'd expect her to fight it till it's absolutely undeniable. Again, time will spill all the beans....

EDIT: Good points about Grasso. I thought her base was boxing. Interesting. Val looked human against Santos as well but she didn't look THAT tired!

 

[Mangar]

Winning? Probably. Dominating? lol no.

 

[CashMoney1991]

honestly, I enjoyed that fight, biggest upset since Nunes lost, I had it 2-1 Val but 2-2 if it went to the 5th, Grasso did a great job not letting Val dictate her range, she saw a lot of kicks coming and I knew right away she studied that spinning kick, she certainly came prepared, excited for the rematch tbh

 

[Rektkid]

Grasso was looking the fresher fighter going into round 4 and there was a real sense of vulnerability from Val whenever they were standing. Her aura of invincibility has gone, would not be surprised if Grasso finishes her even more clinically in a rematch.

 

[Ibm]

Hell no, Rasso landed more power shots.