With Ronda Rousey’s career possibly over, the UFC women’s bantamweight division is officially trying to move on. The first step in doing so? Determining the next challenger for reigning champion Amanda Nunes. While picking out the top contender can sometimes be a difficult task, the women’s bantamweight was down to a two-horse race between UFC on Fox 23 main eventers Julianna Pena and Valentina Shevchenko.
Pena established herself as one of the most compelling young talents at 135 pounds on The Ultimate Fighter 18. Racking up wins over women’s MMA pioneer Shayna Baszler, former rival Sarah Moras and accomplished boxer Jessica Rakoczy, she set herself up to become an instant contender in what was at the time a shallow division.
A catastrophic knee injury saw her shelved for a prolonged length of time. But any doubts about her progression or health were dismissed when she returned in 2015 and broke off three consecutive wins, including a clean decision over former top contender Cat Zingano. That put her on strong footing for a title shot and likely would have been enough to secure her one, if not for Shevchenko’s sudden rise.
That rise came at UFC on Fox 20. After taking a solid win over Sarah Kaufman in her UFC debut, Shevchenko was given a bout against Nunes in her second fight with the promotion. While she lost a straightforward 29-28 decision, she demonstrated strong cardio, resiliency and grappling to go along with her established striking. And that earned her a high-profile fight opposite Holly Holm.
Despite entering the fight as an underdog, Shevchenko shocked fans and pundits by neutralizing the former champ’s offense and scoring a unanimous 49-46 decision win. That win, and the strong ratings it produced, vaulted Shevchenko right back into the title picture, despite her owing a loss from the champ that is less than a year old.
That gave this UFC on Fox 23 tilt big, clear stakes in the bantamweight division and beyond. And that bright spotlight gave Shevchenko a big opportunity to shine.
From the very beginning, both women’s approaches were clear. Pena inched forward and steadily lowered herself for a shot while Shevchenko fought behind her punches. At first, it seemed like this would favor Pena, as she controlled much of the action with her clinch work, but Shevchenko managed to keep her striking in check with well-timed trips. Pena hunted for submissions from underneath, but ultimately Shevchenko took the round, likely on her minutes-long control from the top.
The second round was much of the same, but this time, Pena managed to avoid Shevchenko’s sneaky clinch takedowns and eventually score a takedown of her own. That moral victory, however, was quickly followed by a legitimate loss.
After absorbing some punches in full guard position, Shevchenko whipped her hips around and locked up a lightning-quick armbar. Pena attempted to roll her way out, but Shevchenko stuck with her every move and forced the tap.
It was a shocking ending to a fight where Pena was expected to own a major advantage on the ground, and one that cements Shevchenko’s place as an elite-level bantamweight. After the official decision was read, Nunes entered the Octagon and seemingly accepted a proposed rematch with the former muay thai champion.
Whether that rematch happens is a question for another time, but it’s hard to dismiss Shevchenko’s chances, should it come to pass.
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