There is only one fighter in the UFC who has defeated Valentina Shevchenko, and she has not one, but two victories over her, that being reigning UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. The first loss to Nunes was via unanimous decision at UFC 196 in what was only Shevchenko’s second fight in the promotion. The second encounter was for much higher stakes, the UFC bantamweight championship. Nunes successfully defended the championship against Shevchenko, but Shevchenko’s disagreement with the judges’ decision still leaves a bitter taste in her mouth that she plans to eventually be rid of:
“As I’ve said before, our business that we have with Amanda [Nunes], it’s not finished,” Shevchenko told MMAFighting. “Our last fight doesn’t say nothing because I’ve watched that fight and I know I won that fight. But things happened how it happened.”
Following the loss, Valentina Shevchenko found herself in a new home at 125 where her talent has really shone through, guiding her to become the first ever UFC women’s flyweight champion after defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 231. Tonight at UFC 238, she will look to successfully defend her championship for the first time against Jessica Eye, and that is what has Shevchenko’s undivided attention:
“For now in my head, I want to defend my belt,” Shevchenko said. I want to defend it as much as I can because I was waiting for this moment when it would be my weight division. When I will feel good in my weight, in my natural weight. Now I have this opportunity. Why would I run out of it? I was waiting for this. This is it. So I’ll do my best in this weight class. For me, this is my No. 1 priority.”
Do you believe we will ever see a third fight between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko? If so, who do you believe would get the victory?
