Retaking her title at UFC 306 from her nemesis, Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko is now again on prime of the flyweight division. Heading into 2025, the present pound-for-pound queen of girls’s MMA will look to start one other dominant reign at 125 lbs. Nevertheless, whereas she does have a number of opponents accessible to her in her weight class, the door to maneuver up and pursue additional greatness can also be there ought to she want to take a look at herself.
Now, let’s check out who Valentina Shevchenko ought to battle subsequent.
Alexa Grasso
After teaching The Final Fighter 32 towards one another, Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso lastly confronted off of their much-anticipated trilogy bout within the co-main occasion of UFC 306. It was not an ideal evening for the defending champion, Grasso, who had completely no reply for the suffocating grappling model of Shevchenko. Racking up over 16 minutes of management time all through the 25-minute bout, “Bullet” simply cruised her option to a unanimous choice win, incomes excellent scores on all three judges’ scorecards.
Though she seemingly put her rivalry with Grasso to mattress following their conflict in Las Vegas, the door for a possible fourth battle is all the time open if these two need to settle their rivalry. Contemplating the shortage of high-profile feminine fighter trilogies within the historical past of the game, a fourth and last assembly between these two world-class rivals can be a defining second within the legacy of the flyweight class.
Manon Fiorot
Driving an enormous 12 battle successful streak, France’s Manon Fiorot’s rise within the UFC has been nothing wanting meteoric. Defeating the who’s who of the division like Jennifer Maia, Katlyn Cerminara, Erin Blanchfield, and Rose Namajunas, “The Beast” has positioned herself as a transparent prime contender for the flyweight throne.
For the primary project of her second reign, Shevchenko would undoubtedly have her arms full towards the French powerhouse. Having gone the gap in her previous 5 contests (together with a fundamental occasion exhibiting), Fiorot has demonstrated an excellent fuel tank and technical placing capacity. Famend for her endurance and get up sport as properly, Shevchenko can be going through an opponent who possesses a few of the identical top-notch abilities that she has.
Julianna Peña
Throughout her first keep atop the flyweight rankings, Shevchenko amassed a sterling seven consecutive title defenses. All through most of these bouts, she confronted hardly any form of adversity, bulldozing her well past a few of the finest 125-lb. fighters on the planet with ease. Whereas she does have some noteworthy challengers her division already lined up for her, an excellent battle with UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña stands as an enormous battle to make for “Bullet.”
The final time Shevchenko fought at 135 lbs. was in a shedding try at seizing the division’s belt towards Amanda Nunes in 2017. Since then, she has improved by leaps and bounds as a martial artist, logging a legendary profession as a dominant champion. It stays to be seen how properly she’ll compete now going ten kilos up versus a tenacious fighter like Peña, however ought to she seize that second belt, her place as an icon in fight sports activities is all however assured.
