If you thought Valentina Shevchenko (14-2) was only a one-dimensional fighter, you’d better think again.
At UFC on FOX 23 on Saturday night, the former Muay Thai champion proved she’s no slouch on the ground either, by submitting Julianna Pena (8-3) via armbar, earning a second-round submission victory inside the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.
Shevchenko, 28, who is currently ranked No.1 in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, never got a chance to operate at distance against Pena. The fight mostly took place in the clinch along the fence and on the mat. Shevchenko landed some solid strikes on the ground in round one, after scoring a pair of gorgeous takedowns where she swept out Pena’s leg from underneath her.
Pena, who still managed to claim two 10-9 scores in round one, took her down in the second and controlled the majority of the round right up until Shevchenko secured the fight-ending submission.
It was a fantastic victory that proved she can win despite not using her best attributes. And Shevchenko made sure to remind the attending media at the post-fight press conference that she has always been more than just a striker.
“Like I said before, I’m [a] martial artist” said Shevchenko. “I’m not only [a] striker like people said. I’m complete fighter. I’m [an] MMA fighter.”
The Kyrgyzstan fighter may have locked up her first submission victory in the Octagon, but the win over Pena marks six for her career. Her last submission win came over a decade ago when she tapped out Yulia Semstova by Ezekiel choke at Professional Free Fight in Krasnodor, Russia.
“I knew I had to win this,” she said. “That’s why I didn’t have thoughts like, ‘maybe I will lose.’ No, I didn’t have it in my mind. I only think about victory. I think that is what helped me to do my best.”
With the win, Shevchenko now has a future date with the current women’s bantamweight champion, Amanda Nunes (14-4), who defeated her by unanimous decision at UFC 196 in March of 2016.
“I know it will be [a] totally different fight,” said Shevchenko on the rematch. [A] Totally different result. And how I said before, Amanda won, not because she was stronger than me. It was because, maybe, I gave her some kind [of], like, a little bit [of a] reason to take this victory.”
Shevchenko didn’t clarify what she meant by that comment, but it sounded as if she was trying to say she wasn’t at her best that night, but will be whenever the rematch takes place.
“Every fight makes me much stronger and much stronger. And that’s why I know I will do my best to take this belt from her.”
For complete UFC on FOX 23 results, click here.
