Something we rarely get to find out about the top class champions is their constitution when it comes to handling defeat. How they process it, how they come back from it and how much of their own aura of invincibility gets shattered. You have your Naseem Hamed's and in MMA, I think Conor has the equivalency there in terms of never being the same. Then you have the likes of Usman or Stipe, who just looked... troubled and not their usual selves, or a Yan, who lost his mind. Obviously it's a spectrum, as you know, but always a fascinating thing to observe because we finally get to see what lies beneath for these fighters who rise to the top either in glorious, stylish fashion or with a dominant, overbearing run. Although Valentina nestles between the two [categories] as she was utterly dominant for so long, but was also ridiculously stylish (as rounded as Mighty Mouse); we've really got to see that she has the true heart of a champion with how she has carried herself in defeat and approached the rematch.
I will say that I think her hands aren't advantageous verses Grasso, and once that registered for her in the first round, she lost some of her approach play confidence - it's a very different ball game when you just control the fight and can let off shots at will as opposed to when the returning fire is not only hitting you, but extremely potent - I actually feel like there are parallels between this fight and Adesanya vs Strickland in that sense with the deviation being that Valentina switched it up and went for takedowns etc. to offset the problems she was having in boxing range.
Why am I mentioning any of this unprompted? Because I think we've had an insight into the pride Shevchenko has and why I don't think she's capable of letting sleeping dogs lie - I can only see her going up after winning the belt, and only then saying yes to going up if Grasso doesn't want or is denied a rematch by the company (Dana). I can't see her entertaining going up without taking care of business in her own division - her own warrior's pride will not allow it, I think. That's why this whole sudden saga is surreal; out of nowhere, Valentina has a true rival who she'll want to put to bed (if she can), who will preoccupy her and whatever plans she had prior to their bouts. I think if they fight a third time and Valentina can't get the win, she'll retire, btw.
What you've said is sound, but given Valentina's age and how long a rematch and potential second (fourth) bout will take to conclude, she could be pushing 38 by the time she's satisfied this contest is put to bed. She'll probably diminish some with the passage of time and these Grasso fights taking a lot out of her, so on the assumption she can win the belt, between retiring and going for champ-champ, she'd be faced with a really tough decision.
Personally speaking, I think there's maybe 2, pushing 3 fights max left in her before she calls it a day.
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