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Class is in session at Open Workouts! @AlexaGrasso #UFCChile pic.twitter.com/pRiCsho0ky

— UFC (@ufc) May 16, 2018

Strawweights
Alexa Grasso vs. Tatiana Suarez
Odds: Suarez (-580), Grasso (+440)

Grasso made the transition to the UFC from Invicta Fighting Championships with some serious hype behind her. Still searching for a superstar to explode the Latin American market, the UFC thought they had hit pay dirt with the attractive 24-year-old Mexican. The hype train only gained steam when she picked apart journeywoman Heather Jo Clark in her debut. The Guadalajara native’s father and uncle are former professional boxers, so it’s no surprise that her style bears the earmarks of the sweet science. Grasso is light on her feet with a high, tight guard and a nice jab which she follows with combinations. Not solely dependent on her hands, she can mix in kicks to all levels that carry some snap to them. But she loses focus at times, letting opponents dictate the pace and range.

That’s what happened when the Lobo Gym standout suffered the first loss of her career in her sophomore effort versus Felice Herrig. “Lil Bulldog” was more active, stepping into the pocket with a combination whenever she wanted before exiting back to long range. Grasso failed to counter effectively enough to deter Herrig or take back the initiative, winding up on the wrong end of the judges’ scorecards. While that setback showed Grasso isn’t ready to be rocketed to the top of the division just yet, there is another young fighter in this division who could be the model for her. Rose Namajunas also experienced setbacks when she got thrown in over her head at a young age, but she continued developing and improving to eventually reach the mountaintop. Whether Grasso is destined for such a trajectory remains to be seen. She got back on track with a gritty decision over perennial tough out Randa Markos in August, reversing several takedown attempts and turning up the output with her hands down the stretch.

She will need every bit of takedown defense and grappling skill she can muster against Suarez, a former bronze medalist at the world championships in freestyle wrestling once on track for the Olympics. A neck injury and thyroid cancer derailed those dreams, but she has used that background to transition seamlessly to MMA. Suarez blew through the competition to win TUF 23 and is one of a very few dominant female wrestlers in MMA, particularly at strawweight. The Millennia MMA product is a physical force, dominating position on the mat even when temporarily swept or threatened with submissions. Because of this overwhelming skill set, her southpaw kickboxing doesn’t get much play, but Suarez favors a variety of kicks from long range. She feints her way inside and ties up at the first opportunity, so her lack of boxing hasn’t presented as a significant problem.

Perhaps Grasso can exploit her there, but it seems unlikely. What will eventually threaten Suarez is a hitter with stopping power, a ridiculously strong sprawl-and-brawler, or jiu-jitsu ace who could make her pay for taking the fight down. The Mexican doesn’t seem to fit any of those molds. Unless Grasso tags an oncoming Suarez early, she’ll find herself fighting off positional advances and ground-and-pound for the duration. Suarez takes a one-sided decision.

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