Valentina Shevchenko Eyeing Bantamweight Title Shot To End 2022: “I Think It’s Inevitable”
Reigning UFC women’s flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, has her eyes set on a move back up to 135 pounds to claim a second title.
Shevchenko spoke with journalist Ariel Helwani on the latest edition of his show The MMA Hour and explained how she views a potential trilogy bout against UFC women’s featherweight champion, Amanda Nunes, or a rematch with women’s bantamweight champ Julianna Peña as inevitable at this point. Peña and Nunes are currently slated to rematch at UFC 277 on July 30 in Dallas, Texas, with Shevchenko set to defend her title against Talia Santos at UFC 275 on June 11 in Kallang, Singapore.
“I think so,” Shevchenko said (h/t MMA Fighting). “There is always the chance. Definitely the bigger fight, the better. I think it’s just on standby, before July. This is where they booked the rematch. I think it’s inevitable. Or if [she loses] it will be Julianna Peña. We fought Julianna a few years ago, I submitted her with an armbar, and now people are definitely bringing up her name more frequently.”
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