You’ve heard plenty from Valentina Shevchenko surrounding the drama of the cancellation of her Flyweight title fight against former champion Nicco Montano at last Saturday night (Sept. 8, 2018) at UFC 228 in Dallas, Texas. To hear “Bullet “ tell it, Nicco once again wanted to find a way to weasele her way out of facing her for the second time.
Montano, meanwhile, says it’s actually Shevchenko who doesn’t want none, as she told The MMA Hour that her constant foreshadowing of the fight not happening was actually Valentina’s way of hoping she could speak it into existence, as deep down she was really scared to face someone like here.
“I think she lives in la la land for a reason. I think she really wanted that to happen, unless she’s another Mrs. Cleo and has a (psychic) job, because she’s good at that. But I think she was hoping for it. I think she’s a little scared to fight somebody like me. I think deep down she was hoping this fight was not going to happen so that she could have more ammo to be a cyber bully and she wouldn’t have to face me in the Octagon.”
Furthermore, Nicco set the record straight regarding two other rumored times they were set to fight, saying that simply isn’t the case. While Nicco admits she was approached by UFC to face Valentina in July, she never agreed to the fight due to her recent tonsillectomy.
Their scheduled title fight at UFC 228, says Nicco, was the only time she ever signed on the dotted line to face her, and had it not been for issues with her kidneys that ultimately left her hospitalized, the bout would’ve gone on as planned.
To add insult to injury, Montano was stripped of her 125 pound title — one she never got to defend — and will have to see Shevchenko fight for the vacant strap later this year against an opponent to be named later. Furthermore, “Bullet” is no longer interested in facing Nicco, saying if The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner wants the showdown, she has to earn it, first.
To says the start of Nicco’s UFC career has been a rocky one would be an understatement.