At Noche UFC on September 16th, Alexa Grasso successfully defended her UFC flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko. In their previous bout, Shevchenko had lost her title to Grasso via submission in the 4th round. However, this time around, the fight concluded in a split draw. Grasso retained the belt, following UFC rules stating that champions do not lose their titles in case of a draw.

Anthony Smith, a UFC analyst and light-heavyweight fighter, recently appeared on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. During the show, Smith expressed his opinion on the decision, echoing UFC CEO Dana White. And he didn’t hold back.

Anthony Smith agrees with Dana White on the Noche UFC controversy

Anthony Smith shared his strong opinion on the decision during an appearance on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. When asked about his thoughts on the 10-8 round in the fight, Smith stated, “Really bad, it’s really bad. You know I was working the desk for that, so it’s tough to like go on ESPN and go off on a tangent. But that’s like literal f**king theft from Valentina Shevchenko. “

Smith shared his perspective, initially believing that Alexa Grasso had won the fight. However, when he saw the scorecards and the awarded 10-8 round in the 5th, he found it perplexing. He questioned the inconsistency, suggesting that if round 5 was deemed a 10-8, round 2 should have received the same judgment based on the criteria used in judging individual rounds.

Smith’s sentiments were echoed by UFC CEO Dana White, who also criticized Judge Mike Bell’s decision to award Grasso the 5th round as a 10-8. In White’s response to the media, he straightforwardly labeled the decision as “bullsh*t.”

The timing of the immediate rematch between the two women is yet to be disclosed, considering Shevchenko’s revelation of a significant setback during the fight.

Shevchenko reveals what happened during the fight

In a Twitter/X post, Shevchenko confirmed the results of her first-round hand injury, describing it as a comminuted fracture requiring surgery. The fighter disclosed that she sustained the fracture in her right hand during the first round, making Shevchenko’s performance even more remarkable. Achieving a split draw with just one hand is nothing short of extraordinary.

During his post-fight press conference at the Dana White Contender Series, the UFC CEO announced the rematch between the two fighters. He emphasized the necessity of this rematch, stating, “We will rematch them. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the fight that needs to happen.”

Read More: “This One Is Total Bulls*it…”: Following UFC Noche’s Controversial Ending, Dana White Comes Out Guns Blazing Against Judge Mike Bell

White also mentioned the organization’s awareness of Shevchenko’s injury and expressed comfort with the timeline for her return to prepare for the rematch, estimating, “She probably starts striking again in three months or a little less. Yeah. All good.”

Shevchenko’s revelation of a hand fracture sustained during the fight, alongside the UFC analyst and fighter Anthony Smith’s strong criticism, highlighting inconsistencies in judging criteria, only adds to the drama. While the immediate rematch timing is uncertain, the UFC is committed to it with confidence in Shevchenko’s recovery timeline.

Do you think the judging criteria in the UFC require more scrutiny, or do you agree with the decision to have an immediate rematch? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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