After withdrawing from her previously scheduled rematch with Valentina Shevchenko at July’s UFC 213, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes had a point to prove when she faced off with “Bullet” a second time in the main event of last night’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. As quite […]
After withdrawing from her previously scheduled rematch with Valentina Shevchenko at July’s UFC 213, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes had a point to prove when she faced off with “Bullet” a second time in the main event of last night’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
As quite possibly the most talented match in the short history of the women’s 135-pound landscape, the fight may not have delivered the all-out, back-and-forth barnburner that many fans expected due to the fireworks of their first fight at 2016’s UFC 196. But the boos from fans in Canada was undeserved, as Nunes and Shevchenko delivered a tactful, closely-contested bout that “The Lioness” emerged victorious from with a razor-thin split decision.
Nunes pushed the pace for the vast majority of the five rounds, conserving energy to prove to her critics that she could indeed go five full rounds. Push kicks and leg kicks were effective for the champ, but she was countered with the crisp and accurate strikes of Shevchenko, who was pinpoint with her shots. But she spent most of the fight moving backward, had her back taken, and gave up a takedown and ground control in the pivotal fifth frame.
It may not have been the most decisive defense for Nunes, but it answered many questions about her so-called lack of a gas tank, and it also proved she could rise above the adversity of her UFC 213 withdrawal to defend her belt against the consensus next-best fighter in the UFC women’s bantamweight division.
Check out video highlights of her hard-fought win over “Bullet” in three segments of the fight released by the UFC here:
Many felt Amanda Nunes’ close split decision victory over Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of last night’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was a call that went the wrong way, and indeed one of the cageside judges agreed with that point of view. In a photo of the […]
Many felt Amanda Nunes’ close split decision victory over Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of last night’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was a call that went the wrong way, and indeed one of the cageside judges agreed with that point of view.
In a photo of the official scorecard from the Edmonton Commission obtained by MMA Fighting, Tony Weeks gave Shevchenko rounds 2, 3, and 5 for a 48-47 nod for the challenger, while Sal D’Amato and David Therjen scored it 48-47 for Nunes.
That sentiment was most likely persuaded by Nunes forward pressure and the fact that she got a takedown and ground control in the fifth round.
Do you think that was enough to earn Nunes a second title defense and a second win over Shevchenko?
Tonight (Sat., September 9, 2017), Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko will finally settle their long-standing rivalry when they battle for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in the main event of UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The bout, a rematch of their closely-contested first match-up at UFC 196 in early 2016, where Nunes […]
Tonight (Sat., September 9, 2017), Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko will finally settle their long-standing rivalry when they battle for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in the main event of UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The bout, a rematch of their closely-contested first match-up at UFC 196 in early 2016, where Nunes emerged victorious, was scheduled to take place in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 until a last-minute illness forced Nunes to pull out of the International Fight Week-ending card the day of the bout.
Still one of the more dominant champions in the UFC, Nunes has repeatedly stated she believes the UFC is “punishing” her for not fighting at UFC 213 by placing her fight with Shevchenko in the co-main event, but that became a moot point when Ray Borg was forced from his main event clash with flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson with an illness similar to Nunes.
So regardless, Nunes vs. Shevchenko will have their rematch, and despite the outright hangover from Conor McGregor’s boxing match against Floyd Mayweather two weeks ago, this is one of the best fights – especially meritocracy wise – that the world’s MMA leader could put on. That was never more apparent than it was shortly following Shevchenko’s shocking submission win over talented grappler Julianna Pena at January’s UFC on FOX 22, a bout which earned “Bullet” her title shot and Nunes was present for.
Photo: Ron Chenoy for USA TODAY Sports
The two shared an interesting moment of their own shall we say, unique, trash talk, and MMA’s perhaps most underrated rivalry was taken to a new level. It’s cooled off significantly after the highly-publicized mess at UFC 213, and the timing of the rescheduling probably couldn’t be much worse than it is now. But that simply doesn’t change the fact that this may be the single best fight in UFC women’s bantamweight history in terms of talent.
Nunes and Shevchenko represent the true evolution of women’s MMA, and that makes the UFC 215 main event a true spectacle of modern mixed martial arts, even if it isn’t getting much attention. Let’s break down the fight from all aspects of both females’ well-rounded MMA games.
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports
Striking:
Here’s where both women have been most touted, with Nunes being regarded as the most powerful puncher in women’s MMA not named Cris Cyborg, and Shevchenko renowned for her championship-level Muay Thai background that includes multiple victories over UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Nunes’ recent smatterings of Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate prove she has the power to knock out any female fighter in MMA if she lands cleanly, and indeed she was able to land some hard shots on Shevchenko in the first two rounds of their first match. But she wasn’t able to easily plow through “Bullet’s” defense and finish the fight in devastating fashion like she did against Rousey and Tate, and that lead to her gassing badly in the third round, which she lost in dominant style.
That means a more measured, precise striking game that evolves over several rounds of the five-round fight will favor Shevchenko. The Russian-born combatant rarely finds herself in danger, evident by her ability to stay clear of noted knockout artist Holly Holm’s strikes in a shockingly one-sided decision win at UFC on FOX 20. She’ll look to counter Nunes’ inevitable rushes, and it’ll require some extreme accuracy to do so without getting tagged.
If Nunes can land early, obviously this arena will trend in her favor. If she can’t hurt Shevchenko in the first two frames, however, it may shift to ‘Bullet’s’ favor in short order.
Advantage: 50-50
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports
Wrestling:
Neither elite woman relies all too heavily on their wrestling to get the job done; but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a significant amount of skill in that arena.
Nunes is a big, strong bantamweight who can muscle opponents to the mat with ease but prefers to bash her foes with powerful, precise strikes as her takedowns to open up a path for a fight-ending submission, most commonly a rear-naked choke. The aforementioned tendency to gas will most likely lead Nunes to avoid too many prolonged wrestling exchanges, however.
Shevchenko is all more well-known for her elite striking and then her submissions second, but she showed some underrated takedowns in her win over a former champion in Holm. She also proved she could more than hold her own with one of the best wrestlers in the division by stopping Pena in her latest victory.
The champion has a brutalizing top game that she proved she could use to control Shevchenko in their first bout, but that again will be limited by her notorious gas tank. Shevchenko has proven she can go five hard rounds. This one is close, but I’ll give a slight edge to the challenger on longevity alone.
Advantage: Shevchenko 55-45
Photo by Ron Chenoy for USA TODAY Sports
Submissions:
Both women are extremely versed in grappling just like they are striking and, to a lesser extent, takedowns.
Nunes prefers to rock her opponents on the feet and then go for the tapout when her opponents are too rocked to defend a submission. She did just that to two world-class bantamweights in former champion Tate and former title challenger Sara McMann. She’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is an absolute bear to deal with on the ground. However, she’ll always favor her potentially fight-ending power, and 10 of her 14 MMA victories have come by knockout, while only three have come by submission.
Meanwhile, Shevchenko is widely known for her decorated Muay Thai resumé, so that’s lead to her dangerous grappling skills being overlooked significantly. She has actually won six of her 14 MMA victories by submission, with only four coming by way of T/KO. Tapping “The Venezuelan Vixen” with a risky armbar like she did in January shows she can submit anyone from any position, making her a highly dangerous challenge on the mat for any female in MMA.
It may sound cliché, but this area of MMA is once again as closely matched as it could be.
Advantage: 50-50 again
Photo: Ron Chenoy for USA TODAY Sports
Final Prediction:
Hyperbole be damned, this is truly a title bout that represents the sheer evolution of women’s MMA as it features the two most well-rounded, dangerous, and talented female bantamweights to ever set foot in the octagon.
Rousey paved the way for these women to enjoy the positions they do today, but Nunes and Shevchenko took those opportunities and ran with them, clearly pulling away from the rest of the pack. The division isn’t stacked underneath them by any means, but “The Lioness” and “Bullet” are two of the best female fighters in women’s MMA history regardless of who wins or loses tonight.
With that said, I feel the champion has indeed improved since they first faced off, but Shevchenko may have gotten even better. “The Lioness” was clearly fading in the third round of their first fight, and with this scheduled for five rounds, I think it will just be too much to finish “Bullet” in the early rounds. If and when she can’t, Nunes may gas from implementing her high-paced, power-slugging gameplan.
I think that will lead to a rapid shift in momentum, one which the Russian-Peruvian kickboxer will capitalize on to take the belt.
UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will put her 135-pound title on the in a rematch against Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Sept. 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The two were actually scheduled to rematch in the main event of UFC 213 this past July, but Nunes was forced […]
UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will put her 135-pound title on the in a rematch against Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Sept. 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The two were actually scheduled to rematch in the main event of UFC 213 this past July, but Nunes was forced to withdraw from bout on the day of the event after falling. Now, however, the “Lioness” says she feels ‘amazing’:
“I feel amazing,” Nunes said in a phone interview. (Via ESPNW) “After that moment, I went home, found a good doctor, and we’ve been working since that day. Everything has been way better. I’m ready to step into the cage.”
Due to the fact that the pair went through a lengthy build-up prior to UFC 213, Nunes has kept rather quiet this time around, making it clear that she’s simply ready to fight:
“Everything I say right now is only going to give more energy away,” Nunes said. “I’m not saying that many things because I don’t have much to say. I keep all my strength together because I’ve said what people want to hear already.”
After she had decided to withdraw from UFC 213, Nunes received quite a bit of criticism from not only fans, but from UFC President Dana White. White clearly wasn’t happy with the 135-pound title holder, but Nunes doesn’t seem to care what others have to say:
“I don’t need to say anything because at the end of the day [other people] don’t pay my bills,” Nunes said. “People can say what they want, I don’t even care.”
Do you expect Nunes to once again beat Shevchenko, or will a new champion be crowned?
Amanda Nunes failed to capitalize on the hype of her 48-second knockout win over Ronda Rousey – going on to get bashed by UFC fans instead. Shortly after making her first successful 135-pound title defense against “The Rowdy One,” Nunes was set to defend her strap against No. 1-ranked contender Valentina Shevchenko in the main […]
Amanda Nunes failed to capitalize on the hype of her 48-second knockout win over Ronda Rousey – going on to get bashed by UFC fans instead.
Shortly after making her first successful 135-pound title defense against “The Rowdy One,” Nunes was set to defend her strap against No. 1-ranked contender Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of UFC 213 on pay-per-view (PPV). Instead, however, Nunes pulled out of the fight citing sinusitis as the cause, despite being cleared by doctors to compete.
Fans grew angry with the Brazilian champ and even called for her to be stripped of her title. Instead, UFC President Dana White docked Nunes and Shevchenko’s bout down to the co-main event of UFC 215 this weekend, jerking the curtain for the main event of UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson’s could-be record-breaking title defense against Ray Borg.
Photo Credit: Bleacher Report
Nunes’ manager, partner, and fellow UFC fighter, Nina Ansaroff, recently spoke to ESPN to explain the decision to have “The Lioness” back out of her originally scheduled UFC 213 bout:
“When you’re starting to see what this life can do for you, and your family has had nothing, you realize ‘Why risk it?’” Ansaroff said. “No one puts anything out there for you until you reach a certain level, so why take that risk for them? No one is going to pay our bills or take care of our family. You’re going from potentially $1 million per year to $60,000 per year. And you want to put that on the line when you’re feeling 50 percent?”
It’s no secret that the UFC is having a tough run in the first seven months of 2017. After a banner year in 2016 with multiple pay-per-view (PPV) events eclipsing the coveted one-million buy threshold, new owners WME-IMG are finding out just what it’s like to run the world’s biggest MMA promotion in a time […]
It’s no secret that the UFC is having a tough run in the first seven months of 2017.
After a banner year in 2016 with multiple pay-per-view (PPV) events eclipsing the coveted one-million buy threshold, new owners WME-IMG are finding out just what it’s like to run the world’s biggest MMA promotion in a time of downward-trending PPVs without flagship stars Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey anywhere close to the octagon.
True, McGregor will return to the ring against Floyd Mayweather, on August 26, but that could be hurting the UFC’s actual numbers more than helping them. We’ll get to that shortly.
Regardless, both the preliminary card television ratings and pay-per-view buyrates for July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas were recently revealed, and the numbers ultimately amounted to some of the most dismal overall viewership turnouts the UFC has ever seen. Now, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ extremely late withdrawal from her championship bout versus Valentina Shevchenko most definitely caused the lack of buys, but the numbers are concerning nonetheless.
Things didn’t get better two weeks later when UFC on FOX 25 aired live from the Nassau Coliseum on July 22. Despite former middleweight champion Chris Weidman securing an emotional headlining win over Kelvin Gastelum in his hometown, the card had the lowest-ever ratings for a UFC on FOX event in overnight ratings, a number that rose to “only” the third-worst of all-time when the time slot spillover numbers for the main event were factored in.
That continued a disturbing decline for big FOX-aired cards in 2017, but those numbers are also simply indicative of the overall trend of the year, where pay-per-view rates have went down drastically in addition to TV-aired events and PPV prelim numbers.
There are several big underlying factors for this sharp and disturbing decline. On the eve of the biggest pay-per-view of the year, let’s take at the five most impactful.
Promoting Only McGregor & Rousey:
The UFC enjoyed their most lucrative two-year stretch in history from 2015-2016, a time when their biggest-ever crossover stars in Rousey and McGregor were winning big fights in dominant fashion. Rousey was being called the most dominant fighter in MMA, and McGregor won both the featherweight and lightweight titles while becoming the sport’s biggest star.
But that time period simply couldn’t be sustained, as Rousey infamously lost the belt to Holly Holm at UFC 193, following it up with another unsuccessful title fight in her 48-second loss to Nunes at 2016’s UFC 207, after which it appears Rousey may never fight in the UFC again.
McGregor is not gone; at least not in the same sense as Rousey. He’s obviously involved in his hyped-up boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, and while the UFC will obviously get a ton of attention and hype from that massive spectacle, it brings up one vital, overarching point – the UFC simply promoted only their top two stars in recent years, and while it clearly worked in that regard, it left them much too dependent on McGregor and Rousey for success, because their other fighters just aren’t bringing in any numbers at all.
If they ever want to get back to the level where they have their big draws and their mid-level stars; say in the time of dominant champions Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre where mid-level stars like Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson could still sell an in-between card for 350-400,000 buys, they’re going to have to diversify their promotional strategy.
