Matches to Make After UFC on Fox 20

It was seen as a chance for former Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm to rebound after being choked unconscious by Miesha Tate. Instead, it turned into a coming-out party for Valentina Shevchenko. “The Bullet” withstood a first-round knockdown to capture a unanimous decision over Holm in the UFC on Fox 20 main event on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. Shevchenko was awarded four of the five rounds on all three scorecards, drawing 49-46 marks from the cageside judges. The toast of the mixed martial arts world following her head kick knockout of Ronda Rousey in November, Holm has suffered back-to-back defeats since the historic upset. Shevchenko followed her game plan with near-flawless precision. The Kyrgyzstani muay Thai practitioner countered beautifully throughout the five-round battle, tagging Holm with sneaky right hooks and penetrating jabs while also investing in inside leg kicks. According to FightMetric figures, Shevchenko out-landed “The Preacher’s Daughter” in the total strike (119-73) and significant strike (87-54) categories despite throwing fewer of them. In wake of UFC on Fox 20 “Holm vs. Shevchenko,” here are five matches that ought to be considered: Related » UFC Chicago: By the Numbers Valentina Shevchenko vs. Julianna Pena: Shevchenko has won six of her last seven fights, a close-but-clear decision loss to current champion Amanda Nunes the only misstep. The 28-year-old climbed into title contention with her victory over Holm, showcasing her considerable skills to a much wider audience. …

continue reading in source www.sherdog.com