Tonight, Holly Holm got set up with Valentina Shevchenko in what was pretty much a must-win for Holm. In fact, it was kind of booked that way. Sure, you have to sell it as one of the best stand-up WMMA match-ups of all time, but this was a fight to keep Holm in the wild, round robin of revolving title contenders. Plus, when Rousey decides to return, Holm and Rousey was the big money fight. Well, Buller Shevchenko didn’t get that memo.
Holm certainly came out with that mindset, and stormed Shevchenko at the very beginning of the fight. Shevchenko got hit hard early on but was still able to survive to stand and trade the kicks and punches and clinches with Holm.
Holm strikes first with a clean knockdown! #UFCChicago https://t.co/p6hdOhi0hh
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) July 24, 2016
The next rounds were a lot more even. Both ladies landing bombs on each other and getting rocked. These girls exhaled loudly more than a high-level Tennis match. Shevchenko kept finding hooks to counter the oblique kicks and time kicks of her own. She even almost took Holm’s head off with a spinning back fist.
Blocked. But a beautiful counter spinning back-fist from @BulletValentina! #UFCChicago https://t.co/g1rAbZst32
— #UFCChicago (@ufc) July 24, 2016
In the end, Bullet Shevchenko landed more and countered whenever Holm missed. Holm actually rushed in a lot, the opposite what helped her win against Ronda Rousey, and was punished for it. Shevchenko would take the unanimous decision.
…And of course she wants much for Nunes Amanda for the title belt! Check out her post-fight call-out below.
.@BulletValentina wants the champ Nunes! #UFCChicago https://t.co/mZLopEY1Zg
— #UFCChicago (@ufc) July 24, 2016
