Michael Bisping believes Alexa Grasso is a “better fighter” than Valentina Shevchenko

Michael Bisping has high praise for Alexa Grasso.

Grasso stunned many back in March as she submitted Valentina Shevchenko to become the women’s flyweight champ. The two are set to rematch in September and many expect Shevchenko to prove that was a fluke and regain her belt.

However, Michael Bisping thinks Alexa Grasso will defend her title as he thinks the Mexican is just a better fighter than Valentina Shevchenko.

“It might sound crazy, but I think Alexa is the better fighter,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMAJunkie). “That doesn’t sound crazy to me at all. I thought Alexa looked really good. I think that Valentina Shevchenko has been a dominant force for so long, but everyone has their time. Everyone has their end. Everyone has their beginning of the end. Is this the beginning of the end of Shevchenko? Are her best days behind her? I don’t know – maybe. Maybe she had an off night. Maybe Alexa Grasso is just a better fighter. I thought she looked very well. It certainly wasn’t a fluke.”

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According to Michael Bisping, he believes the fact Valentina Shevchenko was such a dominant champion for so long hinders her. Bisping thinks it is hard to keep being motivated as the champion for so long, which is why he thinks Alexa Grasso will remain the champ in September.

“I’m a fan of Valentina, so this is not an insult, she (was) a dominant champion, and sometimes you start getting into the mind set, like George St-Pierre, that you get too passive in the fight, maybe a bit too defensive,” Michael Bisping said. “She needs to go back to being that hungry killer. She needs to go forward and be the aggressor, as opposed to trying to counter all the time. But who am I to sit here and critique Shevchenko with the career she’s had.”