Undefeated Alexa Grasso's goal to be Invicta champ, then UFC champ

Although an injury forced her from Friday’s Invicta FC 16, strawweight standout Alexa Grasso’s ambitions remain steadfast.

The undefeated Mexican fighter would like to fight in her hometown of Guadalajara and fight for the Invicta title. Then, she’d like to fight for the UFC women’s strawweight belt.

“I need to earn the title shot, but I want to be the champion,” Grasso (7-0) told MMAjunkie Radio. “It’s one of my goals.”

Before her setback, Grasso was slated to travel to Las Vegas to meet Stephanie Eggnik (4-2) in her fourth appearance for the all-female MMA promotion (Eggnik went on to fight UFC vet Angela Hill). The event, which took place Trinidad Pavilion at Tropicana Las Vegas, streamed live on UFC Fight Pass but was also the first Invicta card to air on Spanish-language outlet Univision Deportes.

Invicta’s deal with Univision could open doors for Grasso if the promotion heads south of the border. She said there’s a burgeoning MMA scene in her hometown that would translate to a packed audience.

“Everybody in Mexico knows about the guys who came with the UFC, and they could really support Invicta,” she said. “Guadalajara is a really pretty place; it’s perfect for tourists, and it would be amazing to fight in my city.”

In the short-term, it would also make life a little more complicated for Grasso, who’s also a university student majoring in physical culture and sport. Although her family initially resisted her side career, they’ve become big supporters with her success. Coupled with her schoolwork, she’d be juggling some ticket requests.

“(They thought) it was cruel and violent,” she said. “But when they learned more about MMA, and they’ve seen me succeed, they’ve embraced my career.”

Grasso and her longtime teammate, Irene Aldana, happened to be with an uncle when they watched their first Invicta card on the Internet. They resolved to fight for the promotion, with Aldana winning the first contract after a fight in Brazil.

“We were watching Invicta, and we were like, ‘Whoa,’” Grasso said.

Thankfully for her, that’s the word that’s been used to describe her skills since her stateside debut. UFC President Dana White called her a UFC star in the making.

But first, she wants to take home the belt for Invicta, which remains the premier platform for women’s MMA. With Aldana, who tonight faces Jessamyn Duke, she thinks people are catching on quick to their potential.

“I think many people like the way we fight, and they’re realizing how much we put our hearts into fighting and training,” Grasso said.

For additional coverage of Invicta FC 16, check out the MMA Events section of the site.