Invicta FC champion Livia Renata Souza rips Alexa Grasso: ‘She ran from the fight again’

Invicta FC strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza was hoping to finally defend her title against undefeated Alexa Grasso, but is disappointed that the fight won’t happen once again.

Originally booked for Sept. 12, Souza-Grasso was cancelled when the challenger got hurt, and it looks like another injury will prevent Grasso from facing the 115-pound champion at Invicta FC 15. According to Souza, Invicta FC 15 is planned for Dec. 5, but sources told MMAFighting.com it won't happen before January.

"Yeah, she ran from the fight again," Souza told MMAFighting.com. "She’s hurt, can’t fight at Invicta FC 15 on December 5. She’s injured again, but keeps posting pictures of training, so it’s complicated."

Souza doesn’t think Grasso is faking an injury, but is irritated.

"I can’t say that because I would be doubting her character, but I’m pissed off because it keeps happening over and over again," she said. "It’s really weird that she got injured twice before fighting me."

Souza and Grasso are both undefeated, but the champion isn’t sold on her talent just yet.

"Grasso is undefeated, but the only tough opponent she’s faced is Mizuki (Inoue), and it was pretty clear that she has some holes in her game," Souza said. "Especially when [Inoue] got the mount but couldn’t finish. I believe the fight would be over for her if I got to those same positions."

If Grasso can’t step up and challenge Souza for the title, the Brazilian strawweight points at another contender for her first title defense.

"DeAnna Bennett, for sure," Souza said. "I think she deserves it because she beat Katja (Kankaanpaa). It was controversial, I thought Katja won, but she got the win so I think she deserves it."

More than defend her title, Souza wants to immediately sign with the UFC after her next bout.

"I wanted to stay active, fight one more time, and then go to the UFC as the champion," she said. "That’s my personal wish, to fight one more time at Invicta and then go to the UFC, but it’s not up to me. I believe my next logical step is the UFC, especially because there aren’t many good Brazilian strawweights in the UFC, except for Claudia Gadelha, and I have what it takes to be there."