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Tag: Valentina Shevchenko

  • Valentina Shevchenko Vs. Taila Santos In The Works For UFC 275

    UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko will make her next title defense against Taila Santos at UFC 275 on June 11.

    The news of the booking was first reported by MMA Fighting.

    Shevchenko is coming off another dominant win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 266. She has won eight straight fights and earned six straight successful title defenses.

    Shevchenko earned the title by defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant title at UFC 231. She earned a unanimous decision victory and followed it up with wins over Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche, and Katlyn Chookagian.

    One of Shevchenko’s few tests as the flyweight champion came against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. It was a back-and-forth battle with Shevchenko winning the fight based on activity.

    It was also announced today that Maia is scheduled to face Manon Fiorot at a UFC Fight Night event on March 26 on the promotion’s Columbus, OH card.

    TAILA SANTOS SET FOR UFC RETURN - MTK Global
    Taila Santos

    Santos will look to provide the toughest test of Shevchenko’s flyweight reign. A winner of four-straight bouts, she most recently earned a nasty first-round submission victory over Joanne Wood last November.

    Santos has also earned lopsided victories over the likes of Molly McCann and Gillian Robertson.

    Shevchenko had previously been interested in a trilogy bout with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost in shocking fashion to Julianna Pena at UFC 269. Nunes will face Peña in a bantamweight title rematch later this year after coaching The Ultimate Fighter together.

    UFC 275 is scheduled to be headlined by a UFC light heavyweight title bout between Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházk.

    Shevchenko has a win over the current bantamweight champion Peña and could face her in a rematch down the line. But Shevchenko will have to get past another tough test at flyweight before any talk of fighting at different weight classes resumes.

    Do you think Taila Santos could give Valentina Shevchenko a challenge?

  • Archives: Cowboy Enjoys ‘Topless Festivities’ at Daytona 500 (2017)

    The following article was published on this day five years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Five Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 27, 2017, 11:56 AM]

    “Cowboy” is currently enjoying a break from the octagon following his second round, TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal at UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs. Peña in January.

    Cerrone was enjoying a four-fight win streak at welterweight, which included three “Performance of the Night” awards prior to Masvidal derailing his success following his jump from lightweight.

    “Cowboy” is just as renowned for his activity inside the cage as he is for his fighting skills. For example, the fan-favorite fought and beat Benson Henderson on the Conor McGregor v Denis Siver card just 15 days following his defeat over Miles Jury at UFC 182, and fans are keen to see the former WEC title challenger take a break to readjust himself prior to a return to the octagon.

    Those calls appear to have been heeded by “Cowboy”, as he recently spoke with TMZ Sports to discuss his downtime at Daytona 500. Cerrone discusses why the UFC is scarier than NASCAR and gives his insight into “topless festivities” and “crazy redneck chicks lying around naked”.

    There is winding down, and then there is winding down “Cowboy” style…

    You can watch the full clip above.

  • Archives: Shevchenko Says Nicco Montano “Cannot Escape” (2018)

    When it comes to facing Valentina Shevchenko, Nicco Montano did, in fact, “escape,” despite Shevchenko’s vow to the contrary that she wouldn’t. Her alleged ‘getaway’ cost her the flyweight championship, however, and inevitably led to the dominant reign of Shevchenko’s still going strong today.

    The following article is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Four Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 26, 2018, 9:40 AM]

    Author: Ian Carey

    Valentina Shevchenko believes UFC flyweight champion, Nicco Montano, is all out of reasons not to fight her. She is coming for her title.

    29-year-old, Nicco Montano, won the 26th season of the Ultimate Fighter and the UFC women’s flyweight championship in December. She was scheduled to face Sijara Eubanks in the finals of the tournament but a harsh weight cut caused a last-minute opponent change. Loveable MMA veteran, Roxanne Modafferi, was given the opportunity but ultimately dropped a unanimous decision to Montano.

    UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Nicco Montano

    Montano is a Navajo Nation member from the community of Lukachukai. After winning the championship in December, she was honored by the Navajo Nation with a plaque and ceremony at the 23rd Navajo Nation ceremony.

    After winning the title, however, Montano stated that neither Shevchenko nor Paige VanZant (who has also been looking for a title shot at 125lbs) has earned a title fight.

    “I’m definitely not scared because it’s the name of the game. You want to fight the best so that you can prove to everybody else that you are the best, but right now the best is not Shevchenko at ‘25. She hasn’t fought at that weight. It’s not Paige VanZant, she hasn’t fought at that weight either. So I think it’s pretty silly and I’m a person who wants fair fights and so I just don’t think they are deserving of it right now.”

    Valentina Shevchenko

    At the time Montano made the above comments, Shevchenko had not fought at 125lbs in the UFC. That changed on February 3rd, 2018, when she submitted Priscila Cachoeira in her flyweight debut.

    “I did fight at 125, I did my job, I did everything. So she just doesn’t have a reason to decline the fight.” – Valentina Shevchenko

    Shevchenko appeared on the MMA Hour recently and went into further detail regarding a potential bout against Montano.

    “Let’s see how she will act, because no one has heard [anything] about her, she’s not saying [anything] until now,” Shevchenko said. “Let’s see how she responds. But my opinion, if she is holding the belt, she has to defend it. She cannot just escape, and she cannot just find another reason to not fight or fight with another opponent.”

    Originally it was believed Montano was targetting a fight with Sijara Eubanks for her first defence. Eubanks is now scheduled against Lauren Murphy for June 1st, however. It appears the UFC is looking at Shevchenko vs Montano to take place later this year.

    “She’s holding the belt,” Shevchenko said. “This is everything.”

  • Nunes Beating Peña Would Fuel Valentina Shevchenko For Trilogy Fight

    Valentina Shevchenko could be interested in another shot at Nunes if “The Lioness” beats Peña.

    Valentina Shevchenko is sitting back and watching the drama unfold between Amanda Nunes and Juliana Peña. The flyweight champ does not have a direct interest in the fight that went down at UFC 269 or the rematch, but in a roundabout way, it could pique her interest.

    Shevchenko has a history with Nunes. The two fought twice, with Nunes winning both times.

    Even though Shevchenko is now at flyweight, there have been rumblings of a possible third fight between these two. Nunes losing the belt, however, has stalled those talks. Shevchenko spoke with SunSport about her thoughts on the upcoming bantamweight rematch and how it impacts her own future.

    “I think Amanda will definitely want to take revenge next. There will be another fight [between Amanda and Julianna] again because it’s obvious,” she said. “If she prepares for the rematch, does everything right then she will probably regain her belt and it’ll be another reason why I have to move up to bantamweight for our trilogy.”

    Valentina Shevchenko
    Image via UFC’s YouTube channel

    For a bit, a potential third fight between Amanda Nunes and Shevchenko was the most interesting matchup the UFC could make in both divisions. Both have been so dominant in their respective title runs that it seemed inevitable. However, it was up to Shevchenko to make the move up in weight since Nunes would be unlikely to drop and she was not willing to do so.

    Shevchenko admitted that she was undersized when she fought at bantamweight and was grateful when the 125-pound division was made. When the UFC started allowing champions to hold two belts at the same time, that could have opened the door for the trilogy. But first, Nunes will have to get her bantamweight belt back.

    Do you think Valentina Shevchenko could beat Amanda Nunes if they fought at bantamweight today?

  • Archives: Peña Issues Statement After Losing to Shevchenko (2017)

    It’s been almost five years to the day since Julianna Peña lost to Valentina Shevchenko. As we now know, Peña was able to turn out just fine, currently sitting as the women’s bantamweight champion. But in the following article, we re-experience her raw reaction to losing in the UFC for the first time.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2017, 8:41 PM]

    Headline: Julianna Peña Issues Statement After Losing to Valentina Shevchenko

    Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

    Julianna Peña may have lost her first fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), but the sky isn’t falling.

    Peña was submitted in the second round courtesy of an armbar from Valentina Shevchenko this past Saturday night (Jan. 28). The loss was Peña’s third as a professional mixed martial artist (MMA). That almost means her four-fight winning streak was snapped.

    On her Facebook page, Peña apologized to her fans for falling short in Denver. She believes the defeat will help her grow:

    “So, so sorry about my loss you guys. Too hungry. At this level of competition, you cannot make the first mistake or you pay the price. This is a big-time learning experience for me. Time to move forward though. I take one look in the past and then I turn around and keep it pushing toward the future.”

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” said she hasn’t lost sight of what’s important. A loss inside the Octagon isn’t going to make her forget about the people who have supported her.

    “Michael Jordan missed shots and even the best MMA fighters have tasted defeat at some point in their career. My character is not defined by my wins and losses nor are they contingent on the amount of love I receive from those who truly matter to me. Thank you to those who realize how much work goes into this process. It takes a village to get to the big stage and I could not be more grateful for my team who continue to help me achieve my dreams on a daily basis.”

    Peña ended her statement by showing appreciation for her fans.

    “You guys motivate and inspire me to continue to be great. You guys are my mentors, my heroes, my main support and without you being there for me, there would be no ‘Venezuelan Vixen.’ Much respect, love and thankfulness to those who tuned in to the fight. Like the terminator says, I’ll be back.”

  • Serrano Piggybacks Paul’s UFC Proposal By Offering To Fight Shevchenko

    Boxing star Amanda Serrano is game for a crossover fight with UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko if the UFC allows it to happen.

    Serrano’s Most Valuable Promotions colleague Jake Paul made a recent offer to UFC president Dana White to retire from boxing if certain points are met. Paul has repeatedly called for White to increase UFC fighter pay and provide health care benefits to his athletes in exchange for an MMA fight with Jorge Masvidal.

    While it’s fairly unlikely that White will agree to Paul’s demands, Serrano gave her two cents on the offer and proposed a UFC fight with Shevchenko.

    Serrano responded to Paul’s offer to White with an additional caveat of her own on Twitter.

    “I will gladly sign a one-fight deal with the UFC to challenge Valentina for the flyweight championship if UFC agrees to Jake’s offer,” Serrano tweeted. “Let’s make history.”

    White has accused Paul of using performance-enhancing drugs in his boxing career in a sharp response to Paul accusing him of cocaine use. Neither accusation has been backed up with much evidence, but Serrano seems interested in a matchup with Shevchenko.

    Shevchenko is coming off of a dominant 2021, in which she dismantled top flyweight contenders Lauren Murphy and Jéssica Andrade. She has arguably cleaned out the flyweight division at the moment, making a matchup with Serrano somewhat feasible as a way to occupy Shevchenko’s time.

    Serrano has captivated the boxing world with a 42-1-1 record, including a 28 fight winning streak. She also has an undefeated record in MMA, earning submission wins over Valentina Garcia and Erendira Ordonez.

    Serrano most recently put on dominant boxing performances against Miriam Gutierrez and Yamileth Mercado in a pair of co-main events on Paul-led boxing cards. While it’s unclear if Shevchenko has any interest in boxing, it certainly seems that Serrano is intrigued by the idea of moving into her world in the UFC Octagon.

    What MMA/Boxing crossover fights do you want to see in 2022?

  • Blanchfield Knows She’ll “Definitely” Prove Shevchenko Isn’t Unbeatable

    According to UFC women’s flyweight prospect Erin Blanchfield, nobody is “unbeatable” in the cage, including dominant champion Valentina Shevchenko.

    Not many UFC prospects are as highly touted and promising as Blanchard. At just 22 years of age, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt has fought nine times as a professional, had her hand raised on eight occasions, and established her name in the world’s premier MMA promotion.

    After a debut win against Sarah Alpar earlier this year, which came after back-to-back triumphs in the renowned Invicta FC organization, Blanchard was matched with fellow rising star Miranda Maverick. The pair clashed at UFC 269 last weekend, and on the grand pay-per-view stage, “Cold Blooded” demonstrated why she’s a threat to the rest of the 125-pound weight class.

    Blanchard rag-dolled Maverick for the majority of the contest, taking her down seven times and landing over double the amount of strikes as her 24-year-old flyweight peer. With a dominant unanimous decision victory, Blanchard showed why she’s a name to watch at flyweight.

    Blanchfield Thinks She Will Be The Champ’s Kryptonite

    Valentina Shevchenko
    Valentina Shevchenko (Photo: Josh Hedges for Zuffa LLC)

    Like many in the combat sports community, Blanchard, whose only career loss came by way of a controversial decision against Tracy Cortez in 2019, believes she has what it takes to make her way to the title. But not only that, she thinks she can be the one to end the dominant reign of Valentina Shevchenko.

    In a recent interview with The Schmo, Blanchard reminded fans that no athlete is “unbeatable,” perhaps taking inspiration from Julianna Peña’s upset victory over Amanda Nunes on December 11. The 22-year-old is confident that, even if no one else in the division is capable of doing it, she can beat “Bullet.”

    “I feel like everyone thinks Valentina is unbeatable, but that’s not true about anybody. And I don’t know if there’s anybody, like, right now, that’s gonna beat her until I get there, but I know I definitely will.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    With Nunes losing one of her belts, Shevchenko perhaps now leads the way as the most dominant female titleholder in the UFC. The Kyrgyzstani has built an eight-fight win streak since a split decision loss to Nunes in 2017. Across that period, “Bullet” has ascended the flyweight mountain; defended the title six times; and beaten the likes of Jessica Eye, Jennifer Maia, Jéssica Andrade, and Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    Unlike those names, Blanchard hopes to reach the top and add a fourth blemish to the incredible record of Shevchenko.

    Can you see Erin Blanchfield being the one to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko in the future?

  • Julianna Peña’s Victory Lap Includes Circling Back To Three Opponents

    Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is ready and willing to fight whomever the UFC puts in front of her, but there are three names she specifically has in mind.

    At UFC 269, Julianna Peña pulled off the upset of the year and one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when she submitted Amanda Nunes in the co-main event. UFC President Dana White has already expressed interest in booking a rematch between the two if Nunes wants it. But what about the new champ?

    “The Venezuelan Vixen” did not hesitate to commit to the idea.

    “We can do it next week, I’m free next month, two months from now. Whenever they want to do it, I’m ready,” Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “In all fairness, I’ve been in camp for a year. I really think my daughter deserves some well-deserved mommy time, a little vacation. After that, definitely. If she wants to do a rematch, we can do a rematch.”

    Julianna Peña Eyes Two Other Rematches

    Julianna Pena eyes quick turnaround after submission loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Island 4 - MMAmania.com

    The outside world did not have much faith in Julianna Peña heading into UFC 269, but there was one thing most everyone could agree on about her: she was not short on confidence.

    Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she sees herself remaining in full control of whom she fights next outside of an Amanda Nunes rematch. And if she has it her way, not only will she give a rematch, but she will also receive two rematches to avenge her only losses in the UFC.

    “I think that there’s some rematches that I want to do. I would like to go down and challenge Valentina Shevchenko. I would love to get that rematch against Germaine de Randamie. I would love a rematch, if that’s what she wants, against Amanda Nunes. Those are the rematches that I have in my peripheral.”

    Peña’s loss to current women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took place in 2017 via armbar in what was then a #1-contender bout. And last year, Peña dropped a fight to former featherweight champ Germaine de Randamie via third-round guillotine.

    Below, you check out the start of Julianna Peña’s victory lap around her naysayers in this Octagon interview following her UFC 269 upset of Amanda Nunes.

    How do you think Julianna Peña would fare if this rematch tour comes together?

  • Dana White Uninterested In Nunes/Shevchenko Trilogy

    UFC fans are starting to talk about a possible Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko trilogy, but UFC president Dana White isn’t keen on the idea.

    Nunes is set to face Julianna Peña in her first bantamweight title defense in two years at UFC 245. She’s recently put on dominant performances as she defended her featherweight title against Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson.

    Nunes is beginning to run out of potential contenders at both bantamweight and featherweight, and talks of a Shevchenko trilogy have resurfaced. However, White isn’t as interested in a third fight happening between the two top female UFC fighters as most could be led to believe.

    “I don’t know if that fight needs to happen,” White said in a recent interview with TSN. “I don’t know. I’ve thought about it a lot. You know they’re both incredible in their weight classes. They already fought twice. Why do it again?”

    Amanda Nunes Valentina Shevchenko
    Image Credit: Dave Mandel of Sherdog.com

    Nunes and Shevchenko are arguably the two top female fighters in MMA history and have managed to each dominate their respective weight classes since their two matchups in the Octagon. Shevchenko’s losses to Nunes are the only blemishes she has had during her time in the promotion.

    White isn’t completely closed off to the idea of a third fight, but the fans would need to let their voices be heard.

    “I would imagine if they wanted to do it bad enough and the fans wanted it bad enough, I would do it but I don’t see much point in it.”

    Nunes has had issues in her recent bantamweight title fights cutting down to 135 pounds but is also running out of potential suitors at 145. It’s unclear who could be next for her as she looks to defend each of her titles.

    While Shevchenko hasn’t been pleading for another shot at Nunes, she’s remained open to the idea of a trilogy. It’s unclear whether or not Nunes feels the same and whether or not it’ll be enough to warrant a third matchup.

    Would you like to see an Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko trilogy?