Alexa Grasso

Karen Alexa Grasso Montes is a Mexican mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC Women's Flyweight division, having built the early part of her career at strawweight.

Grasso was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and was introduced to combat sports through her family. She trains out of Lobo Gym in Guadalajara under her uncle and longtime coach, Francisco "Pancho" Grasso. She made her professional MMA debut in Mexico in December 2012 and fought undefeated in Invicta FC before signing with the UFC in 2016.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, Grasso has spent well over a decade competing at the highest level of women's MMA across two UFC weight classes, developing into one of the most technically well-rounded fighters in the flyweight division.

Grasso is a versatile striker known for sharp boxing combinations, movement, and forward pressure, complemented by opportunistic and often underrated grappling. She has finished fights both on the feet and via submission, showing a willingness to attack with chokes and other ground control positions once a fight reaches the mat.

After moving up to flyweight, Grasso earned notable finishes and decision wins, including victories over Joanne Wood and Viviane Araújo, to secure a title opportunity. At UFC 285 in March 2023, she upset then-champion Valentina Shevchenko via fourth-round submission to capture the UFC Women's Flyweight Championship. Their immediate rematch later that year ended in a split draw, allowing Grasso to retain the title, before Shevchenko reclaimed the belt by decision in a subsequent trilogy bout.

Grasso's title win made her the first fighter born in Mexico, man or woman, to become a UFC champion, cementing her legacy as a trailblazer for Mexican mixed martial arts. Regarded for her exciting, high-output style and her role in growing the sport's following throughout Mexico and Latin America, she remains one of the most significant figures in the history of women's MMA to come out of her home country.