Tag: Valentina Shevchenko

Julianna Pena Willing To Fight Good Friend Miesha Tate For Title

The UFC women’s bantamweight title picture may be a bit messy due to the uncertain return of former champion Ronda Rousey, but current champion Miesha Tate will still defend her championship against Amanda Nunes on the main card of UFC 200 directly after quickly rising Julianna Pena faces off against Cat Zingano in the featured preliminary

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The UFC women’s bantamweight title picture may be a bit messy due to the uncertain return of former champion Ronda Rousey, but current champion Miesha Tate will still defend her championship against Amanda Nunes on the main card of UFC 200 directly after quickly rising Julianna Pena faces off against Cat Zingano in the featured preliminary card bout.

The winner of three straight bouts capped off by a dominant decision win over Jessica Eye at last year’s UFC 192, the No. 5 Pena is now looking to burst into the upper echelon of women’s MMA by defeating former title contender Zingano, who’s been out of action for almost 15 months following her 14-second loss to Rousey at 2015’s UFC 184. If and when she does, Pena told FOX Sports she believes it should earn her a title shot:

“I definitely think so. I beat everybody that they put in front of me, from all those girls on “The Ultimate Fighter” to everybody they’ve put in front of me since. No one else has been on that big of a win streak besides Ronda (Rousey) and I think that I definitely have earned getting a title shot.”

While that could be the case, realistically there’s more of a chance for Rousey to get the next title shot when she decides to return, and if she doesn’t, No. 1-ranked Holly Holm, who infamously beat Rousey and recently lost her belt to Tate via fifth-round submission, will face Valentina Shevchenko at July’s UFC on FOX 20 from Chicago, where a win could see her vaulted back into her desired title rematch.

But Pena is still considered an eventual title contender at 135 pounds regardless, so “The Venezuelan Vixen” has already begun discussing a potential fight with her good friend and former TUF 18 coach Tate, and it’s a fight they’ll apparently both accept:

“Me and Miesha have discussed fighting each other. We said the only way we would fight each other is if her or I had the belt,” Pena said. “Now that she has the belt and I get my hand raised be it July 9, I will ask for a title shot. I only think that that’s right.

“I’m sure she will accept, be it that she wins, which I’m sure she will.”

It sounds a good plan, and four straight wins would be tough to deny. The shadow of Rousey and Holm will always loom large, however, so Pena will have to defeat Zingano very impressively to leapfrog the gargantuan contenders currently ahead of her on the 135-pound order.

With Rousey and Holm’s results and plans unknown, that may just be a distant possibility for the near future.

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Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira Rumored For UFC Chicago

Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida. And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot

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Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida.

And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot after two straight knockouts over Ryan Bader and Jimi Manuwa following his failed title bid against current champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 187, it appears as if UFC President Dana White is coming through on his statement that Johnson vs. Teixeira ‘interests him,’ as it was revealed on UFC Tonight that the bout is being targeted for July 23’s UFC on FOX 20 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Both fighters come in with a ton of momentum from their recent win streaks, with Johnson having the aforementioned two straight victories to run his UFC record to an impressive 5-1 since returning to the promotion in April 2014, while Teixeira has scored three straight finishes over Ovince Saint Preux, Patrick Cummins, and Evans after a two-fight slide against Jon Jones and Phil Davis.

The fight will join the rumored Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko women’s bantamweight main event and the reported lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Gilbert Melendez.

So UFC on FOX 20 could potentially feature a bout for the next light heavyweight title fight from The United Center. Who would you pick in this match-up of lethal 205-pound knockout sluggers?

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Holly Holm Rumored To Return At July’s UFC Chicago

After former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm was denied a rematch with Miesha Tate following ‘Cupcake’s’ fifth-round submission win in their first match-up at March 5’s UFC 196, the fighting future of ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ was left up in the air a bit. There was always the awaited rematch with Ronda Rousey, the dominant

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After former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm was denied a rematch with Miesha Tate following ‘Cupcake’s’ fifth-round submission win in their first match-up at March 5’s UFC 196, the fighting future of ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ was left up in the air a bit.

There was always the awaited rematch with Ronda Rousey, the dominant former champion whom Holm shockingly knocked out with a jaw-dropping head kick at last November’s UFC 193, and even though the rematch had obviously lost some luster since neither fighter holds the belt right now, it remained Holm’s most lucrative option.

But for Holm, a true fighter who (perhaps hastily) wanted to put her title on the line against Tate rather than wait an uncertain amount of time for Rousey to return, sitting on the sidelines didn’t seem an option. Former Rousey opponent Cat Zingano was also brought up as an option for ‘The Preacher’s Daughter,’ but when ‘Alpha’ signed on to face rising contender Julianna Pena at July 9’s UFC 200, that was ruled out as an option as well.

Tonight (Wed., May 4, 2016), however, news has come on UFC Tonight that Holm is being targeted for a main event bout against No. 9-ranked contender Valentina Shevchenko at July 23’s UFC Chiecago:

The touted “Bullet’” just lost to current title contender Amanda Nunes at UFC 196. Prior to that, Shevchenko edged former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman by split decision in her debut at last year’s UFC on FOX 17

The rumored bout is a match tailor-made for 17-time world boxing champion Holm and decorated 56-2 Muay Thai fighter Shevchenko, who owns wins over women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in that sport. With both fighters’ ground games garnering recent criticism, this fight could be a perfect opportunity for both women to put on a show in their glaring area of strength.

The fight is reportedly slated to join a light heavyweight bout between top contenders Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Glover Teixeira, and also a lightweight  bout between the rising Edson Barboza and returning veteran Gilbert Melendez.

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Amanda Nunes Decisions Tough Valentina Shevchenko

UFC 196’s main card began with a women’s bantamweight tilt between Amanda Nunes (12-4) and Valentina Shevchenko (12-2). The “Lioness” got the win, but “Bullet” almost made a comeback. The two bruisers were tentative in the beginning of the bout. Nunes connected with a leg kick. She went for a high kick, but got off

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UFC 196’s main card began with a women’s bantamweight tilt between Amanda Nunes (12-4) and Valentina Shevchenko (12-2). The “Lioness” got the win, but “Bullet” almost made a comeback.

The two bruisers were tentative in the beginning of the bout. Nunes connected with a leg kick. She went for a high kick, but got off balance momentarily. Nunes landed a kick to the body and took down her opponent with over 30 seconds left in the opening frame. She landed a stiff elbow in full guard. Shevchenko got back up, but was dumped back to the canvas as the round came to a close.

Shevchenko caught a body kick, but wound up on her back again. “Lioness” rained down some punches and elbows to bloody her opponent. “Bullet” tried to return to her feet, but Nunes kept her grounded. Some nasty hammerfists found the mark for the Brazilian. Nunes moved to side control, and then took the back of her opponent. “Lioness” went for a rear naked choke, but Shevchenko reversed to get to full guard at the end of the second stanza.

Nunes ducked under a punch and went for a takedown, but ate a knee to the body and an elbow. “Bullet” earned a takedown of her own and went to side control. She went for an americana and landed a couple of elbows. “Lioness” pushed her opponent off and the fight resumed standing. “Bullet” kneed Nunes in the head and connected with some punches in a guillotine position. Shevchenko threw a superman punch to the body. It was clearly “Bullet’s” round, but it appeared to be a case of too little too late.

All three judges scoring the fight at Octagon side gave the bout to Nunes.

Final Result: Amanda Nunes def. Valentina Shevchenko via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

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