Ahead of Saturday’s UFC On FOX 20 event, which features the first Octagon appearance of Holly Holm since she lost the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship to Miesha Tate, UFC has given the main event the Joe Rogan break…
https://youtu.be/pWWHfg29tPc
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC On FOX 20 event, which features the first Octagon appearance of Holly Holm since she lost the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship to Miesha Tate, UFC has given the main event the Joe Rogan breakdown treatment.
Featured above is Joe Rogan’s breakdown of the UFC On FOX 20 main event for this weekend in Chicago, as Holly Holm battles dangerous striker Valentina Shevchenko in the headline bout of the evening.
Check back here at MMANews.com this Saturday evening for a complete UFC On FOX 20 recap.
Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko: Mike Drahota: This bout presents an ultra-interesting match-up of two of the women’s bantamweight division’s best strikers, and certainly its most decorated. Coming off her upset loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196, boxing champion Holm has everything to lose, while Muay Thai champion Shevchenko has nothing to lose. “Bullet”
This bout presents an ultra-interesting match-up of two of the women’s bantamweight division’s best strikers, and certainly its most decorated. Coming off her upset loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 196, boxing champion Holm has everything to lose, while Muay Thai champion Shevchenko has nothing to lose. “Bullet” is by far the lesser-known fighter, and her last fight was a loss to current champion Amanda Nunes, also at UFC 196. But that doesn’t tell the whole story, as Shevchenko had “The Lioness” on the ropes when the third round ended.
Regardless, this main event promises to be a power-packed striking affair, with both looking to stay one step ahead of their opponent on the feet. Holm should prevail if it stays at range, and it’s tough to decipher just who has the power advantage in this one. If it goes to the cinch, it should favor Shevchenko, and Holm’s highly suspect ground game could be tested if ‘Bullet’ decides to surprise her with a few takedowns. Holm simply needs this win though to get back into the title picture, and I think she stays largely on the outside to outscore Shevchenko. It’s a vanilla pick, but I’m going with Holm by unanimous decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Holly Holm will be looking to bounce back from the brutal loss to Miesha Tate at UFC 195, and there won’t be a better time to do it after ‘Cupcake’ got dethroned at UFC 200. For Shevchenko, it’s about defeating a huge name in the former UFC champion and women’s boxing great, but a hill I feel will be far too steep to climb. ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ just has too much in the bag, and I see a unanimous decision on the cards for Holm.
Mike Henken:
Shevchenko is without question one of the best strikers in the bantamweight division as she holds a professional kickboxing record of 58-3. That success has transferred nicely over to MMA, where she currently stands at 14-2 after her recent a loss to reigning champion Nunes. Holm also has a decorated striking background as a multi-time former boxing champion and is coming off of a loss to Tate, but I simply feel as if she has the more well-rounded mixed martial arts skillset in this bout. I also feel as if her experience and motivation to recapture the title will play a part here. Holm by third-round TKO.
Edson Barboza vs. Gilbert Melendez:
Mike Drahota:
A pivotal co-main event for both Melendez and Barboza’s careers, both men will have several question marks heading into this bout. For former Strikeforce champ Melendez, it’s how he returns from a yearlong layoff due to a drug-related suspension following two losses to Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis. For Barboza, it’s whether or not he can finally win a big fight against an elite fighter in a critical spot.
The Brazilian Muay Thai artist looked nothing less than surgical during his UFC 197 win over Pettis, but he’s also faded in big spots against the likes of Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone, and Michael Johnson. Barboza will need to rise to the occasion here and pick Melendez’ less refined striking apart from range, fending off the inevitable takedown attempts that will come his way. Melendez has the heart and power to put any lightweight away on a good night, but I feel his layoff may affect his performance against such a dynamic striker here. My pick is Barboza by decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Melendez vs. Barboza is a great fight – two feisty lightweights who always show up for war, but an interesting contrast in styles. Barboza likes to keep the range long to whip in powerful kicks, but ‘El Nino’ wants to bring the fight to your front door with his gritty phone booth style. It’s more about who will be able to implement their gameplan and keep the fight within their chosen range. It’s a bit of a coin toss really, and you know how Melendez is going to fight, but Barboza has proven to be cagey in some big fights. I’m gonna go with my gut and call it Melendez by decision.
Mike Henken:
Melendez is a tough and gritty fighter with a wealth of championship level experience, but he’s also coming off of a lengthy layoff after being suspended due to a failed drug test. Barboza, on the other hand, has looked excellent as of late, winning two of his last three, and coming off of a victory over former champion Pettis. I feel as if “Junior’s” lethal striking game will lead him to victory here. Barboza by unanimous decision.
UFC held the official public weigh-ins for this Saturday’s UFC On FOX 20 event on Friday afternoon.
Scheduled to go down from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, UFC On FOX 20 features a main event of Holly Holm …
https://youtu.be/eHa7hIRJa-Q
UFC held the official public weigh-ins for this Saturday’s UFC On FOX 20 event on Friday afternoon.
Scheduled to go down from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, UFC On FOX 20 features a main event of Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko, with Gilbert Melendez vs. Edson Barboza in the co-featured slot.
Featured above is the video player needed to watch the archive of the official UFC On FOX 20 weigh-ins. Below are the results.
UFC On FOX 20 Main Card
– Holly Holm (135) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (133)
– Edson Barboza (155) vs. Gilbert Melendez (155)
– Francis Ngannou (259) vs. Bojan Mihajlovic (228)
– Felice Herrig (115) vs. Kailin Curran (116)
UFC On FOX 20 Preliminary Card (FS1)
– Eddie Wineland (135) vs. Frankie Saenz (135)
– Darren Elkins (145) vs Godofredo Pepey (145)
– Kamaru Usman (170) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (170)
– Mitchell Prazeres (155) vs. J.C. Cottrell (155)
UFC On FOX 20 Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
– Alex Oliveira (170) vs. James Moontasri (170)
– Jim Alers (145) vs. Jason Knight (145)
– Luis Henrique (253) vs. Dmitry Smolyakov (251)
Holly Holm has had quite the busy year over the last 12 months. In November 2015, she scored the biggest victory of her storied career with a brutal head kick knockout of previously dominant UFC bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey. “The Preacher’s Daughter” then suffered a disappointing fifth round submission loss in her first title
Holly Holm has had quite the busy year over the last 12 months. In November 2015, she scored the biggest victory of her storied career with a brutal head kick knockout of previously dominant UFC bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey. “The Preacher’s Daughter” then suffered a disappointing fifth round submission loss in her first title defense against Miesha Tate in a fight she was likely winning.
Holm is now just days away from headlining UFC on FOX 20 (July 23, 2016) against Valentina Shevchenko in what could be deemed a title eliminator. Aside from her fighting, however, the former champion has also been quite busy with USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency). Recently speaking during a media scrum (Via MMAWeekly), “The Preacher’s Daughter” claimed that she has been tested a whopping 14 times, making her the most tested fighter on the roster:
“I want to know I didn’t need help. I want to know that I did it on my own. Because If I knew that I needed the help, it would kind of be more of a mental thing, that I didn’t believe in myself and that’s what I needed to. So for me it’s never been something I thought to do. And, it also keeps stress off of me that I have to worry about when they show up at my doorstep for a drug test at 6 a.m., because Friday was number 14, by the way. Just within the last year. It’s the most. This was the first time only urine, but blood and urine always. They actually did a list of who had been tested the most and Conor and I were tied for the most before I was tested again.”
With some of the sport’s biggest stars popping for performance-enhancing-drugs in recent memory, it’s no surprise to see USADA ramp up their testing, but Holm doesn’t seem bothered, and she’s never failed a test to date.
Do you feel as if USADA has done a strong job since partnering with the UFC last summer?
Ahead of her Octagon return this weekend where she fights Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of the UFC On FOX 20 event, former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm is featured in the latest “Warrior Code” vi…
https://youtu.be/aTLODff4Iu0
Ahead of her Octagon return this weekend where she fights Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of the UFC On FOX 20 event, former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm is featured in the latest “Warrior Code” video.
Featured above is Holm’s “Warrior Code” video for this weekend’s big fight. The description for the video reads as follows:
“Go one-on-one with Holly Holm and find out what makes the former champ a UFC warrior. Holm takes on Valentina Shevchenko on Saturday in the main event at Fight Night Chicago.”
Holm-Shevchenko headlines the UFC On FOX 20 event, which goes down this Saturday night from the AllState Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm went from a high in her career to a low point and is now looking to rebound. Holm was on top of the world after beating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 but was shot out of the sky thanks to Miesha Tate, who beat Holm at UFC 196
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm went from a high in her career to a low point and is now looking to rebound. Holm was on top of the world after beating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 but was shot out of the sky thanks to Miesha Tate, who beat Holm at UFC 196 to win the title.
Holm is set to fight Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on FOX 20, and spoke with MMA Junkie about wanting to win her title back.
“I have had to come back from being behind and dealing with my own doubt,” Holm said. “But I was able to make it through, and that’s my hope to do it again. My goal is to get back to the belt, and the belt is at 135.”
Holm has been a champion and lost and came back from that loss before. Heading into a December 2011 IBA welterweight title fight against Anne Sophie Mathis, Holm was riding high before being KO’d in the seventh round of that fight. Holm avenged her boxing loss to Mathis just six months after the fight.
“I try not to compare those scenarios too much,” said Holm, who competed in three different weight classes in the ring. “Those moments in boxing are what helped me to be maybe more level-minded right now. I’m trying not to let my emotions get too involved. I don’t want to doubt myself too much. I think I’ve learned that you know, I’ve done this before. I’ve come back before, and I can do it again.”
UFC on FOX 20 takes place on Saturday, July 23, 2016, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The prelims will air on UFC Fight Pass at 4PM/3PM ETPT and FOX Sports 1 at 6PM/3PM ETPT while the main card will air on FOX at 8PM/5PM ETPT.
