Sherdog Prospect Watch: 10 Upside Picks

Alexa Grasso, 21, has only begun to scratch the surface. | Photo: Esther Lin/Invicta FC

3. Alexa Grasso
Division: Women’s Strawweight
Record:7-0
Age: 21
Years Pro: 2.25
Camp: Lobo Gym

Invicta Fighting Championships’ Grasso is well on her way to becoming one of the next big things in MMA, already having received the Dana White Seal of Approval following her most recent victory in February. Since the moment her fight was over, speculation has run rampant as to whether she will be brought over to the UFC to compete on the June 8 card in Mexico City. Without putting too fine a point on it, Grasso is attractive, Mexican -- she is from Guadalajara -- and fights with all of the in-your-face swagger and fire exemplified by generations of Mexican boxers. Future stardom awaits if she continues to develop and plays her promotional cards right.

Grasso’s game revolves around her striking. She is a crisp, fundamentally sound boxer who does her best work countering in the pocket, where her defense and offense flow together into a single seamless package. Her head movement is tight, efficient and never takes her out of position, and she excels at slipping punches and returning fire with hard punching combinations. Clean angles and slick pivots give her clear gaps through which to throw. Volume is a strong suit, and she routinely throws 15 to 20 strikes a minute, enough to win decisions even if the knockout is not forthcoming. Make no mistake, however, Grasso is a hitter to be feared.

The rest of Grasso’s game needs some work, but that is hardly unexpected for a 21-year-old with only a couple years of professional experience. She is a solid defensive wrestler and employs a strong over hook and head pressure to stuff takedowns but still struggles a bit against chained attempts. Her guard is active and quite good but not dangerous, and we have rarely seen her work from the top.

The sky is the limit for Grasso, especially if she spends some time training at one of the major camps in the United States or Brazil. She is an outstanding athlete with blistering hand speed, and all she needs is some time and luck to turn into a bona fide star in the new and volatile women’s strawweight division.

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