Valentina Shevchenko Outstrikes Former Champion Holly Holm in UFC on Fox 20 Headliner

Valentina Shevchenko beat Holly Holm at her own game. The Kyrgyzstani muay Thai machine announced her presence as a legitimate title contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division with a five-round unanimous decision over Holm in the UFC on Fox 20 headliner on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. All three cageside judges scored it 49-46 for Shevchenko (13-2, 2-1 UFC). Holm (10-2, 3-2 UFC) had a brief glimmer of hope in the first round, as she knocked down “The Bullet” with a short right uppercut. From there, it was all downhill. Shevchenko forced the former champion to lead, countering beautifully with sneaky right hooks and piercing jabs. The 28-year-old also targeted the inside of Holm’s lead leg with kicks and mixed in tactical takedowns when the mood arose. Shevchenko’s confidence grew as the rounds passed, and Holm appeared to be more and more gunshy in the face of consistent counterstrikes. Shevchenko has gone 6-1 across her last seven outings, falling only to Amanda Nunes, the woman who now holds the 135-pound crown. Related » UFC Chicago Round-by-Round Scoring Barboza Kicks Stymie Melendez In the lightweight co-main event, former Ring of Combat champion Edson Barboza kept his stock moving in …

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