Shevchenko: 'No. 1 goal' vs. Grasso is to keep judges out of fight

Valentina Shevchenko's main priority in her trilogy bout against UFC women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso will be making sure it doesn't go the distance.

Shevchenko, who faces Grasso in a second attempt to regain the 125-pound throne at UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas, said she wants to get a finish because of a controversial scorecard in their September 2023 rematch.

"I have to definitely finish the fight and don't let it go to the judges' scorecards," Shevchenko told ESPN's Andreas Hale on Wednesday. "That is my No. 1 goal."

Grasso and Shevchenko fought to a split draw 12 months ago at the inaugural Noche UFC event, hosted during Mexican Independence Day weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. One judge gave Grasso, of Guadalajara, Mexico, a controversial 10-8 score in the fifth round, which led to the draw and allowed Grasso to retain her title.

"It was a draw because of a mistake by one of the judges," Shevchenko said. "If not for that mistake, the victory was mine."

In their first fight in March 2023, Grasso submitted Shevchenko in the fourth round to become the new champion and record one of the biggest upsets of all time.

Grasso and Shevchenko coached "The Ultimate Fighter 32" earlier this year and haven't stepped into the Octagon since their rematch.