UFC is gearing up for their second event of 2017 and first “big FOX” show of the new year.
On Saturday, January 28th, the number one and two contenders in the UFC Women’s Bantamweight division will look to secure a ti…
https://youtu.be/tq8LEs8CB8o
UFC is gearing up for their second event of 2017 and first “big FOX” show of the new year.
On Saturday, January 28th, the number one and two contenders in the UFC Women’s Bantamweight division will look to secure a title shot against reigning champion Amanda Nunes, as Valentina Shevchenko and Julianna Pena will do battle in the main event of the UFC On FOX 23 event.
Fresh off of her win over Holly Holm, Shevchenko looks to secure a title shot against Nunes, while former TUF Champion Pena, fresh off of her victory over Cat Zingano, looks to eclipse Shevchenko in the official UFC rankings by defeating her next weekend.
Featured above is the official video trailer for next weekend’s UFC On FOX 23: Shevchenko vs. Pena event. The official description for the video reads: “After big wins in their last bouts, Julianna Pena and Valentina Shevchenko are on a collision course leading to Denver, where the two bantamweight challengers will meet in the main event!”
UFC On FOX 23: Shevchenko vs. Pena takes place on Saturday, January 28th, live from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado and will air live and free via FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
No. 1 ranked women’s bantamweight Valentina Shevchenko made her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut in Dec. 2015. She stepped in as a late replacement for Germaine de Randamie. She clashed …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SENHPSZcNqc&t=0s
No. 1 ranked women’s bantamweight Valentina Shevchenko made her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut in Dec. 2015. She stepped in as a late replacement for Germaine de Randamie. She clashed with former women’s Strikeforce bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman.
“Bullet” entered the contest on a four-fight winning streak. Shevchenko’s clinch work and ground control told the story of this fight. Kaufman failed to find her range when she was standing and any time she found an opening, she was taken down. The former champion took her opponent to the ground in the final frame, but it was too late.
Shevchenko earned a split decision victory and improved her record to 12-1. She is now 13-2 and coming off the biggest win of her career, defeating Holly Holm by unanimous decision. She will meet Julianna Pena at a UFC on FOX event inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on Jan. 28.
Julianna Pena hasn’t been shy about wanting a title shot. “The Venezuelan Vixen” has gone 4-0 in her professional bouts inside the Octagon. She also defeated all of her opponents on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 18.
Pena will be going toe-to-toe with Valentina Shevchenko at a UFC on FOX event inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The event will held on Jan. 28. The winner of that bout will likely move on to face current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight title holder Amanda Nunes.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” told Bloody Elbow that she’ll be dumbfounded if she doesn’t receive a title opportunity with a win next weekend:
“I definitely think I’ve been deserving of a title shot for a long time now and if I don’t get a title shot [after beating Shevchenko] then I’ll be baffled. At the end of the day, my main focus right now, and my sole focus right now, is Valentina Shevchenko and that’s it.”
While Pena felt she deserved a title shot already, she acknowledges the toughness and skill of Shevchenko. She also sees some holes.
“I’ve seen her struggle in positions on the ground. Like, getting submissions and then letting them go and not really being too familiar with the finishes, but I know she’s working on the ground sharpening up her ground skills so I’m anticipating the best Valentina that there ever has been and that she’ll be covering all her bases as far as the wrestling and jiu-jitsu goes, as I have with the stand up.”
Pena said she was competing against Shevchenko because the fans wanted to see the bout. She hopes those watching can appreciate her efforts.
“I’m actually doing this fight for the fans and doing a fight which they have asked for and have requested for me for a long time now, so I hope that I make them happy and then they can be a little bit grateful for the fact I am putting it all on the line for them.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VpUxqS3FpU
Julianna Pena hasn’t been shy about wanting a title shot. “The Venezuelan Vixen” has gone 4-0 in her professional bouts inside the Octagon. She also defeated all of her opponents on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 18.
Pena will be going toe-to-toe with Valentina Shevchenko at a UFC on FOX event inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The event will held on Jan. 28. The winner of that bout will likely move on to face current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight title holder Amanda Nunes.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” told Bloody Elbow that she’ll be dumbfounded if she doesn’t receive a title opportunity with a win next weekend:
“I definitely think I’ve been deserving of a title shot for a long time now and if I don’t get a title shot [after beating Shevchenko] then I’ll be baffled. At the end of the day, my main focus right now, and my sole focus right now, is Valentina Shevchenko and that’s it.”
While Pena felt she deserved a title shot already, she acknowledges the toughness and skill of Shevchenko. She also sees some holes.
“I’ve seen her struggle in positions on the ground. Like, getting submissions and then letting them go and not really being too familiar with the finishes, but I know she’s working on the ground sharpening up her ground skills so I’m anticipating the best Valentina that there ever has been and that she’ll be covering all her bases as far as the wrestling and jiu-jitsu goes, as I have with the stand up.”
Pena said she was competing against Shevchenko because the fans wanted to see the bout. She hopes those watching can appreciate her efforts.
“I’m actually doing this fight for the fans and doing a fight which they have asked for and have requested for me for a long time now, so I hope that I make them happy and then they can be a little bit grateful for the fact I am putting it all on the line for them.”
On this day six years ago, we ran a story on Julianna Peña pronouncing her obsession for Valentina Shevchenko. Before Valentina Shevchenko was the flyweight queen or Peña a former UFC champion, the two were slated to face one another in the headliner o…
On this day six years ago, we ran a story on Julianna Peña pronouncing her obsession for Valentina Shevchenko. Before Valentina Shevchenko was the flyweight queen or Peña a former UFC champion, the two were slated to face one another in the headliner of a 2017 FOX event. Shevchenko would get the better of Peña…
Julianna Pena is currently the UFC’s No. 3-ranked contender in the women’s bantamweight division, and has been heavily campaigning for a shot at the 135-pound title for some time now. Pena will have the opportunity to solidify her claim to challenge for the title when she takes on No. 2-ranked Valentina Shevchenko in their main
Julianna Pena is currently the UFC’s No. 3-ranked contender in the women’s bantamweight division, and has been heavily campaigning for a shot at the 135-pound title for some time now.
Pena will have the opportunity to solidify her claim to challenge for the title when she takes on No. 2-ranked Valentina Shevchenko in their main event match-up at UFC on FOX 23. After downing former title challenger Cat Zingano at UFC 200 this past July Pena extended her impressive win streak to four, and with a win over the former Muay Thai champion Shevchenko she’ll most likely be next up for the title shot.
If that isn’t the case, however, Pena tells ESPN’s 5ive Rounds Podcast (courtesy of Bloody Elbow) that she’ll most likely seek out employment from a different promotion:
“Maybe I’ll go fight for Combate [Americas] or something because it sounds like they want to pay me serious money and actually give me a belt right off the bat just like they did with Ronda in the UFC,” Peña said. “They just handed Ronda a belt, and Combate will hand me a belt, so I don’t know, we’ll see how that goes.”
‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ also claimed that she believes UFC President Dana White knows inside that she is the clear-cut contender for the title, and that if she is looked over once again she’ll ‘quit’:
“I think Dana knows that I’m a firecracker, and I definitely don’t think that he wants see the wrath that will come if I don’t get a title shot after this,” Peña said. “I would be shocked. I won’t say that it couldn’t happen because anything can happen, especially in this sport.
“But I think that he definitely knows that I’m the clear cut answer for getting a title shot. So I don’t want to even put that in the universe. If I don’t get a title shot, I quit.”
For now Pena will focus her attention on Shevchenko, who comes off of a win over former 135-pound champ Holly Holm, where a win over ‘The Bullet’ could mean a shot at her life-long dream.
Shevchenko and Pena will meet in the main event of UFC on FOX 23 from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on January 28, 2017.
Valentina Shevchenko and Julianna Pena will square off in the main event of UFC on FOX 23 this coming January.
Shevchenko (13-2) recently scored a win over former UFC female bantamweigh…
Valentina Shevchenko and Julianna Pena will square off in the main event of UFC on FOX 23 this coming January.
Shevchenko (13-2) recently scored a win over former UFC female bantamweight champion Holly Holm, pushing her Octagon mark to 2-1 overall. Her only loss to date with the promotion came at the hands of current UFC titleholder Amanda Nunes.
Pena (8-2), a former winner of The Ultimate Fighter, has yet to taste defeat in four bouts with the UFC. That includes a summer victory over Cat Zingano.
UFC on FOX 23 takes place January 28 from the Pepsi Center in Denver. Along with Shevchenko-Pena, Hector Lombard battles Brad Tavares and J.C. Cottrell meets Jason Gonzalez.
