“(Working with a mental coach) has also been important. As a professional athlete, you always have to search out the best in order to perform at your best, and I think it has been great to learn how to control my emotions and my head.
“If you believe it, you can do it,” she said confidently. “Sometimes it’s your body that says, ‘I’m tired,’ but if your mind is strong, you can continue. It’s great to have a mental coach who can help me with that.”
These days, Grasso is spending far more time focused on her own goals and expectations and, right now, the ascending contender’s primary goal is to make each of her fights look as beautiful as possible.
“Even though we’re fighting, at the end of the day, it’s an art — mixed martial arts — and I like it to look oh so beautiful: nice jabs, nice uppercuts, nice hooks, because I think it’s part of the game,” she said excitedly. “I like to show that fighting could be nice.
“My coach is also very meticulous about the technique. He always wants us to show good technique, which is the most important thing, and I like it so much. You can throw truly beautiful combos.”
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She’s also locked in on trying to match the nine-fight winning streak the put together at the outset of her career, with an eye towards reaching the top of the flyweight division.
“When I made my debut in the UFC, I reached 9-0, and I hope that I can break my own record again,” said Grasso, who carries a 14-3 record into this weekend’s clash with Araujo.
