VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO has sensationally accused the UFC Noche judges of being biased because of Mexican Independence Day.
The former long-reigning women's flyweight champion failed in her bid to reclaim the belt from Alex Grasso in Las Vegas early this morning.
Pride of Mexico Grasso – who shocked the world in March by submitting the Kyrgyzstani at UFC 285 – retained her belt courtesy of a split draw.
Shevchenko, who cut a frustrated figure after the verdict was read,was dropped in the second round but came roaring back in the third – almost finishing the fight with a mounted guillotine.
And she firmly believes she would've become a two-time champion had Grasso not been competing on her homeland's birthday.
She raged: "I think it really was 3-2 on my side.
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"But the judges I think felt a little bit of pressure because it's Mexican Independence Day.
"That's why the give one more to the Mexican fighter."
The fight ended in a draw thanks to judge Mike Bell's stunning decision to score the final 10-8 in favour of the champion.
Shevchenko couldn't comprehend Bell's scoring of the final stanza, fuming: "I feel the 10-8 in the fifth round, it’s completely unfair.
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"I think I did everything to secure the victory.
"Unfortunately, I think this event is Mexican Independence Day, that’s why it affected the decision of the judge to give 10-8 in the fifth round.
"From my experience, it’s 10-8 when one fighter completely cannot do nothing.
"It’s like running around, looking for an escape from the octagon. It’s like, miserable.
“But in the fifth round, it was like four minutes or however many minutes stand up.
"She didn’t land one punch. She could only take the back position on what it was?
"The last minute or minute-and-a-half? I don’t remember now.
"But even there, it was not damage. It was not too much damage to [deserve] this 10-8.
"That’s why I said there’s this double feeling. On one side, I’m proud of myself. On one side, I’m frustrated from the judges’ decision."
Guadalajara gladiator Grasso, on the other hand, couldn't care less about the scoring of the contest.
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She said: “I’m happy with my performance. For me, it was 3-2.
"The fourth and fifth were for me, but I’m not the judge, so yeah. I’m not the judge.”
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