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?
UFC 215 is in the books tonight (Sat., September 9, 2017) from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and women’s 135-pound champ Amanda Nunes has retained her title over Valentina Shevchenko in a close, hard-fought split decision. In the co-main event, suddenly streaking welterweight contender Rafael dos Anjos put on a shocking and dominant performance […]
In the co-main event, suddenly streaking welterweight contender Rafael dos Anjos put on a shocking and dominant performance against 170-pound mainstay Neil Magny, submitting the much taller fighter with a brutal first-round arm triangle choke following a decisive display of grappling prowess.
Watch the fighters discuss the action in the post-fight press conference streaming live right after the main card here:
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 contestant Sarah Moras had been out of the octagon for two years heading into her fight with No. 15-ranked Ashlee Evans-Smith on the preliminary card of tonight’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Evans-Smith had won two of her previous three fights meanwhile, making […]
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 contestant Sarah Moras had been out of the octagon for two years heading into her fight with No. 15-ranked Ashlee Evans-Smith on the preliminary card of tonight’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Evans-Smith had won two of her previous three fights meanwhile, making it little surprise she came into the bout as roughly a three-to-one favorite. But the Canadian Moras came to battle in her home country, capitalizing on an early takedown from Evans-Smith to work a beautiful armbar submission by patiently allowing the hold to develop.
Once she had the positioning, there was no question it was over, as Evans-Smith immediately tapped when her arm was bent at a gruesome angle. Moras secured a huge hometown win, triumphantly returning to the UFC while octagon commentators Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan commented that Evans-Smith’s arm had been dislocated. Check out the brutal submission from UFC on FOX right here:
Sarah Moras with the impressive submission win, but she clearly has no chill! ???? https://t.co/pFzZc1vpbA
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.
By all rightful expectations, last month’s (Sat., August 26, 2017) massive Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing match from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., was a fight so big, so grandiose, so “once-in-a-lifetime” that there was bound to be an inevitable hangover for the UFC, who took the risk of having their biggest star face […]
By all rightful expectations, last month’s (Sat., August 26, 2017) massive Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing match from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., was a fight so big, so grandiose, so “once-in-a-lifetime” that there was bound to be an inevitable hangover for the UFC, who took the risk of having their biggest star face a legend in his own combat sport.
And it’s been a big one, an overarching cloud that has made it feel as if a massive shoulder shrug was emanating from the collective populous of all but the most hardcore and enthusiastic MMA fans.
True, Jon Jones failing for an anabolic steroid after his feel-good comeback win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 certainly hasn’t helped the sport maintain any of the precious momentum that was regained during a late-summer push following an atrocious start to 2017. But the sheer lack of buzz and hype for this weekend’s (Sat., September 9, 2017) UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, proves just how dependent the UFC currently is on one man – McGregor – and that’s a truly dangerous place to be.
Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports
There are many reasons UFC 215 was bound to fail as many expect it to, and the last-minute withdrawal of title challenger Ray Borg was the last straw. But even before Borg pulled out of his main event match-up with longtime flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson, a bout where “Mighty Mouse” was attempting to break his tie with Anderson Silva for the most consecutive title defenses ever, there just wasn’t any anticipation for the event.
Sure, you could come up with a ton of reasons for that, like Dana White’s recent public thrashings of both Johnson and Amanda Nunes, who rematches surging contender Valentina Shevchenko in the new UFC 215 main event, after Johnson refused to fight former bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw and Nunes pulled out of her scheduled UFC 213 headliner with Shevchenko due to illness.
It’s never good to bash the fighters that are supposed to be making you millions of dollars – it’s counterproductive and the UFC needs new stars now more than they ever have, so calling out your own athletes in the news only loses the promoter money, and potentially lots of it.
Photo by Ron Chenoy for USA TODAY Sports
The main reason for this rain cloud hanging over the UFC and MMA as a whole, however, is the mere absence of McGregor. The UFC has grown too dependent on their biggest star, especially with former women’s champ Ronda Rousey inactive and most likely never to return. “The Notorious” was the clear catalyst during the UFC’s surge to a record-breaking $4.2 billion sale in July 2016, a number that new owners WME-IMG are probably wishing they could rescind after a disastrous 2017.
They put all their eggs into the Rousey and McGregor baskets, and when Rousey got knocked out at UFC 207 and McGregor spent the entire year chasing and eventually getting his boxing ‘super fight’ with Floyd Mayweather, the world’s MMA leader just looked like they didn’t know what to do.
It still seems that way, and even though the last quarter of 2017 will feature one of the biggest fights of the year when longtime former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre returns to fight middleweight champion Michael Bisping for the belt at UFC 217, it’s going to be an extremely down year for the UFC without a McGregor-headlined card. With McGregor’s coach recently stating he’d probably be out for the rest of 2017, they could still book a trilogy match with longtime rival Nate Diaz for the year-end card that could legitimately save the year.
Photo: Mark J. Rebilas for USA TODAY Sports
The fact that the UFC has to do that to save the year proves that they are putting too much emphasis on one fighter, one star, who, despite being perhaps the most electric personality in the history of MMA, may or may not even defend one of the two titles he’s won in the octagon. The hangover of his gamble of a boxing match with Mayweather makes that apparent, and even though they made a ton of money in the process, it was incredibly short-sighted in that the cupboard is bare in their own octagon without McGregor, who says he’s a free agent.
UFC 215 was a card with two title fights on it, title fights featuring two of the most talented and recently dominant champions in MMA who literally represented the evolution of the sport. It was never billed or built as such, and with McGregor’s boxing match having sucked the wind out of anything else combat sports-related for the time being, the UFC is looking like they need “The Notorious” a lot more than he needs them.
They’re going to have to pay him whatever he wants when he does return if they ever want to recoup their initial investment, but they’re also going to need to depend on some of their other fighters, too. A starting point would be to not trash them online, because they can use every champion they can get right now.
