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Valentina Shevchenko has only defended her women’s flyweight title twice since winning it last last year, but many believe “Bullet” can go on an unprecedented title reign and shatter all types of records.
While the women’s 125-pound weight class could use some bulking up, there are many contenders already in place ready to give Valentina a tough fight. For Andrea Lee, though, giving it the old college try simply isn’t enough, saying she is confident in he chances against the champ.
“I think anybody is beatable,” Lee told MMA Junkie during UFC 242’s media day. “I think everyone is beatable at one point. I think that I do stand a good chance.”
Winner of seven straight, three inside the Octagon, Lee is a top candidate for a shot at the title. And her gut feeling tells her the promotion is prepping her for such a fight.
“I feel like it’s setting me up for potential title contention. I see it coming. I’m not 100 percent yet because I don’t know what the UFC wants to do, but in my gut I feel like that’s probably something they’re trying to push. I want that to happen eventually,” she added.
Of course, she first has to take care of business this Saturday night (Sept. 7, 2019) when she faces Joanne Calderwood at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. A win there gives her four straight to start her UFC career, and a huge bump in the rankings.
And she is pretty confident she will get the victory seeing as how a striking affair is in order, which is right up her alley.
“The fact that she’s a striker, it’s an exciting matchup for me,” Lee said. “(After my last fight) they asked me what I want and I said, ‘I’ve fought a couple of wrestlers for a couple of fights and I would like to fight another striker.’ Now I’m fighting ‘JoJo,’ so I’m happy.”
Indeed, Calderwood will prove to be a tough test for “KGB,” as “JoJo” is a nine-fight UFC veteran with the skills and technique to give anyone trouble. For Joanna, if she can hand Andrea her first UFC defeat, not only will it put her back in the win column, but give her some much-needed momentum after going 2-3 in her last five outings.
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