Valentina Shevchenko had great timing on her takedowns.
But an errant spinning back kick attempt paved the way for Alexa Grasso to expertly take Shevchenko's back, cinch in a rear-naked choke tightly and end one of the most dominant streaks to become the new flyweight champion of the world in the UFC 285 co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
With the fourth-round submission victory, Grasso became the first Mexican woman to become a UFC champ.
"I feel like I'm dreaming," a jubilant Grasso told Joe Rogan in the Octagon. "I dreamed of this moment for so long."
After Grasso had success with her hands in the first round, Shevchenko shrewdly slowed down the action with a pair of takedowns in the second round. Shevchenko added two more takedowns in the third round and was putting together some crisp jabs early in the fourth.
Grasso denied another takedown attempt, which was rather telegraphed, early in the same round and later took advantage of the spinning back kick attempt to perfectly take Shevchenko's back and make her tap to a rear-naked choke.
Grasso told Rogan that she had worked on timing taking the back following a spinning back kick and saw the move unfolding.
With the win, Grasso ended Shevchenko's streak of seven straight title defenses.