Many thought Valentina Shevchenko would just roll over for Holly Holm and we would see the former women's bantamweight champion get a chance to reclaim her belt against Amanda Nunes.
Shevchenko had other plans in mind, dominating Holm to win by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) Saturday in the main event of UFC on Fox 20.
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"I'm very excited for this victory," Shevchenko told Joe Rogan. "It’s very important in my career."
The first round began with both fighters exchanging leg kicks. Shevchenko tried to make Holm come at her. Holm landed a clean, right hand that dropped Shevchenko, but the native of Peru was able to get back to her feet. Halfway through the round, Shevchenko kept trying to push her right hand and Holm tried to pepper the jab. With about 90 seconds left in the round, Shevchenko took Holm down, but the former women's bantamweight champion got up instantly.
For the rest of the fight, though, Shevchenko had an answer for everything Holm tried to do. Holm would try to come in to attack, but Shevchenko had a counter for everything. She stayed patient, didn't alter her game plan and Holm didn't have an answer.
In the fifth round, knowing she needed a finish, Holm went out and was the aggressor. But to Shevchenko's credit, every time Holm would come in, Shevchenko would come right back with a right hook or a wheel kick. Holm started to find her groove at the end of the fight, knowing she needed to leave an impression with the judges, but it was too little, too late.
The former Muay Thai champion outstruck the former boxing champion in significant strikes, 84-52.
With the win, Shevchenko runs her record to 13-2 and is a winner of six of her past seven fights. Her only loss? Current women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.
Since knocking out Ronda Rousey, eight months ago, Holm has lost back-to-back fights.
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can find his podcast, The Fight Club Chicago and subscribe on iTunes . You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA .
