Alexa Grasso apologizes for UFC 246 weight miss, announces move up to 125 pounds

Alexa Grasso’s hefty weight miss for UFC 246 has caused her to rethink what’s best for her career.

Grasso (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) weighed 121.5 pounds at Friday’s official weigh-ins, which is 5.5 pounds over the non-title strawweight limit. As a result, the Nevada Athletic Commission ruled her ineligible to compete, and her main-card bout with former title challenger Claudia Gadelha was canceled.

This was the second time that Grasso has missed weight in her UFC career. For the way everything turned out, Grasso (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) issued a statement later Friday on Instagram apologizing to Gadelha (17-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) and the UFC, as well as explaining what went wrong and what she plans to do about it.

“I want to apologize to Claudia Gadelha and the UFC,” Grasso wrote. “I know this is a fight all were waiting a lot, including me. I trained very much for this, and I did everything to lose those pounds. The commission did not allow our combat, although my opponent and I agreed with the sanction this implied for me. The doctors did not allow me to compete.

“You don’t know how difficult it has been lately to keep me in this (weight) class. It was not a lack of discipline because even if I do not have a fight I’m ALWAYS (sic) on diet. I turned 2,  and my body is not the same. I am growing, and I am in this biological process where my metabolism is changing.”

Because of that, Grasso went on to say, she intends on moving up to flyweight.

“I know that at this weight I will be healthier and stronger, giving my body all the nutrients it needs,” Grasso wrote. “… I start a new stage in my life.”

You can read Grasso’s full statement below:

View this post on Instagram

I want to apologize to Claudia Gadelha and the UFC I know this is a fight all were waiting a lot, including me. I trained very much for this and I did everything to lose those pounds. The commission did not allow our combat although my opponent and I agreed with the sanction this implied for me. The doctors did not allow me to compete. You don’t know how difficult it has been lately to keep me in this weigh class. It was not a lack of discipline because even if I do not have a fight I’m ALWAYS on diet. I turned 26 and my body is not the same, I am growing and I am in this biological process where my metabolism is changing. I have lived in recent years to the limit of what a body needs to be healthy, and yet I have always fulfilled my obligations. Let’s not talk about a flu or if my period is crossed because that added to the diet had made the weigh cuts a real suffering. I never complain or tell these things because I am not that kind of person and I always show you my best attitude. My team and I have decided that the smartest and healthiest thing to do is to be in other weigh class. With all the respect that it deserves and of course pain in my heart I say goodbye to the strawweight division 115 LB This year has a different goal for me and I officially move to Flyweight 125 LB I know that at this weight I will be healthier and stronger giving my body all the nutrients it needs. Thanks to all the people who support me, my Lobo team and my coaches who are with me every day and know that what I do is completely a commitment to my sport and my career. I start a new stage in my life!

A post shared by Alexa Grasso (@alexa_grasso) on Jan 17, 2020 at 7:07pm PST

I want to apologize to Claudia Gadelha and the UFC
I know this is a fight all were waiting a lot, including me. I trained very much for this and I did everything to lose those pounds.
The commission did not allow our combat although my opponent and I agreed with the sanction this implied for me. The doctors did not allow me to compete.
You don’t know how difficult it has been lately to keep me in this weigh class. It was not a lack of discipline because even if I do not have a fight I’m ALWAYS on diet.
I turned 26 and my body is not the same, I am growing and I am in this biological process where my metabolism is changing.
I have lived in recent years to the limit of what a body needs to be healthy, and yet I have always fulfilled my obligations.
Let’s not talk about a flu or if my period is crossed because that added to the diet had made the weigh cuts a real suffering.
I never complain or tell these things because I am not that kind of person and I always show you my best attitude.
My team and I have decided that the smartest and healthiest thing to do is to be in other weigh class.
With all the respect that it deserves and of course pain in my heart I say goodbye to the strawweight division 115 LB
This year has a different goal for me and I officially move to Flyweight 125 LB
I know that at this weight I will be healthier and stronger giving my body all the nutrients it needs.
Thanks to all the people who support me, my Lobo team and my coaches who are with me every day and know that what I do is completely a commitment to my sport and my career.
I start a new stage in my life!