In a tactical, stand-up battle, Valentina Shevchenko handed former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm her second straight loss. Shevchenko earned the unanimous-decision victory (49-46×3).
Normally, Holm would win any striking battle, but Shevchenko is one of the few women with the skills to best the former champion.
Shevchenko’s counter striking was the biggest factor.
She kept catching Holm with right hands as Holm tried to advance. Holm’s punches and kicks were coming up short, and her timing was clearly off.
Stylistically, this was a nightmare matchup for Holm, and that played out in reality. Holm was forced to be the aggressor, and that’s not her specialty.
Shevchenko faced current champion Amanda Nunes in her last fight in March. Nunes won the bout, but Shevchenko made a good account of herself.
A rematch is a possibility, as the 135-pound women’s division has become increasingly volatile. We’ll see where the weight class goes from here.
Barboza Picks Melendez Apart
Edson Barboza’s speed and striking were too much for Gilbert Melendez. The latter needed to take the fight to the ground, but he couldn’t get it there.
Leg kicks were the story of the bout. That strike has long been a staple of Barboza’s attack, and Melendez found out firsthand how dangerous the Brazilian’s kicks can be.
Barboza chopped Melendez’s leg up throughout the three-round fight en route to a unanimous-decision win. When the bout was over, Barboza said he wanted to fight the three fighters ranked ahead of him in the lightweight division, per MMA Fighting:
Any of those three would make excellent opponents for Barboza is his next fight.
- Valentina Shevchenko def. Holly Holm via unanimous decision (49-46×3)
- Edson Barboza def. Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
- Francis Ngannou def. Bojan Mihajlovic via first-round TKO
- Felice Herrig def. Kailin Curran via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
- Eddie Wineland def. Frankie Saenz via third-round TKO
- Darren Elkins def. Godofredo Pepey via unanimous decision (29-27×2, 30-26)
- Kamaru Usman def. Alexander Yakovlev via unanimous decision (30-25×3)
- Michel Prazeres def. J.C. Cottrell by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-26)
- Alex Oliveira def. James Moontasri via unanimous decision (30-26×2, 30-25)
- Jason Knight def. Jim Alers via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Luis Henrique def. Dmitry Smoliakov by second-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Analysis and Highlights
Knight and Alers Throw Down and Talk Trash
This UFC Fight Pass prelim had the look of a good one from the beginning. The two men went to meet each other in the center of the Octagon minutes before the bout was set to start.
Once the action began, Jim Alers and Jason Knight didn’t disappoint. Per UFC on Twitter, take a look at the mean-spirited kicks Knight landed as he advanced position:
Knight did the better work in stand-up, landing 76 significant strikes to 41 for Alers, but one judge still saw the fight for the latter.
Knight’s in-your-face style won him the bout and some fans.
Wineland Plants Saenz
Eddie Wineland and Frankie Saenz were determined to stand and trade. That approach made for an entertaining scrap.
Wineland got the better of the exchanges, and he landed a huge right hand in the third round that led to the finish. Here’s a look at the punch, per Fox Sports UFC:
Both men came in ranked in the top 15 at 135 pounds. By Monday, Wineland will have ascended above Saenz.
Herrig Submits Curran
After a long layoff, Felice Herrig returned to the Octagon in her hometown and came away with an impressive first-round victory over Kailin Curran.
Herrig’s jiu-jitsu game was on full display.
She took Curran down and quickly transitioned to her back. Herrig locked in the rear-naked choke to get the submission win.
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