Mairon Santos of Team Grasso is set to fight his fellow featherweight semifinalist, Zygimantas Ramaska of Team Shevchenko, though the former is still awaiting a final decision on his medical clearance due to his facial fracture from his previous fight.
Due to the uncertainty of Ramaska’s medical clearance, quarterfinalists Guillermo Torres from Team Grasso and Edwin Cooper Jr. of Team Shevchenko are chosen as alternates.
Coach Valentina Shevchenko is frustrated at the fact that Ramaska’s training is limited due to his injury, but Ramaska takes it in stride and works out the restrictions.
As a reward for their making the semifinals, Ramaska is allowed to see his sister Ramina online and Santos is allowed to see his wife Yazmin.
Due to the possibility of facing one of the alternates, Santos is frustrated and decides to train on basic technique rather than for a specific fighter.
Team Grasso coach Alexa Grasso decides not to coach either Santos or Torres in order to not play favorites, but is frustrated at not being able to help her fighters.
Leading up to weigh-ins, Santos is weighing heavier then normal and at weigh-ins he comes in 2 pounds overweight. He’s given an hour to lose weight and gets to a half pound.
Right before he’s about to shave his head to lose the weight, Shevchenko talks to Grasso and informs her she’s alright with proceeding at a catchweight so Santos doesn’t have to lose the weight, a first for the show as coaches on previous seasons wouldn’t allow for the allowance.
Both alternates Torres and Cooper make weight no problem and remain on standby until the next day.
Before the fight starts the day after, Shevchenko and Ramaska are pulled aside by Nevada State Athletic Commission officials who state that Ramaska has not been cleared by the commission doctor.
As a result, Grasso is pulled in by the same officials who inform her that Torres was chosen for the fight. Cooper is frustrated by the fight goes ahead.
Santos takes round 1, Torres takes round 2, and Santos takes round 3, resulting in an unanimous decision win for Santos.
The set fights for finale at UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho, Kaan Ofli and Mairon Santos fight at featherweight, both for Team Grasso; while Robert Valentin Frey from Team Grasso is set to face Ryan Loder from Team Shevchenko at middleweight.
In the coaches fight, Alexa Grasso will defend her flyweight title against former champion Valentina Shevchenko.