A. Nunes (left) surpassed V. Shevchenko (right) again (Photo: Reproduction Twitter UFCNews)
It was painful, difficult, but Amanda nunes He overcame, perhaps, his biggest challenge in the bantamweight division. This Saturday (9), the Brazilian won Valentina Shevchenko, by split decision, in the main fight of UFC 215, retaining her Ultimate title and putting an end to her rivalry with the Kyrgyzstani naturalized Peruvian. The duel lasted five rounds, and was even more balanced than the first time the two met, when the Lioness also won by decision.
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This time, however, Amanda showed her physical fitness was up to date, but she didn't have the drive to finish the fights she had in the past. Using low kicks and the tactic of surrounding the challenger, Nunes won three rounds on the scoresheets of two judges, including the last round, when she finally went up and used her wrestling to take down Shevchenko and guarantee her hard-earned – and controversial – victory.
After the announcement of her victory, Amanda was booed by the fans in Edmonton, Canada, and explained that she wanted to prove to her future opponents that she had the fitness to last five rounds.
“I knew everything Shevchenko could bring to the octagon. I knew what she was capable of, so I went to the gym every day thinking of a way to beat her and I did. And still a champion”, she celebrated.
Angry, Valentina Shevchenko He demanded a third fight and declared that the Brazilian had not hurt him at any point.
“It was absurd. I don't agree with this decision at all. She didn't hurt me at any point, she just kicked me weakly in the leg. Does she win the fight because of a fall? And even from below I was giving more blows. I don’t believe that, I want another fight with her, I don’t want another opponent”, said Shevchenko.
THE FIGHT
Normally using her aggression to overwhelm her opponents, Amanda surprised her with her approach to the rematch with Shevchenko. More patient, the champion used the opening round to pressure her opponent close to the fence and used kicks to maintain her distance, preventing the Peruvian from gaining points with punches or kicks. Sensing the Brazilian's strategy, Valentina seemed to wait for her opponent to get tired and did little in the first five minutes. In the second round, however, she began to open her arsenal and, even though she was going backwards, she was superior. With hard punches and hitting Amanda with right hooks whenever she attacked, Shevchenko took the second round.
In the third round, the two styles finally clashed. Amanda's patient approach based on low kicks and the body with Valentina's flying punches and counterattacks made this the most exciting round of the night. The fourth round was similar to the second. Even moving backwards, Valentina looked better, releasing and connecting more and increasingly harder blows against Nunes, who was barely scoring.
The fifth and final round continued at the same pace, when Amanda decided to use her wrestling. After clinching and attempting a takedown, the Brazilian separated herself from Valentina, but soon after saw her opponent attempt a sacrifice takedown. Sensing the use of the technique, the champion defended and caught Shevchenko's back, who soon managed to get up.
Shortly afterwards, however, Amanda scored a takedown again, which proved vital to getting the fight. The Brazilian fell into half guard and, despite releasing few strikes and receiving punches to the face from below, the Brazilian ended the fight on top and impressed the side judges.
UFC 215 results
MAIN CARD
Bantamweight: Amanda nunes won Valentina Shevchenko by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
Welterweight Weight: Rafael dos Anjos won Neil Magny via submission (katagatame) in R1
Fly weight: Henry Cejudo won Wilson reis by technical knockout at 25 seconds of R2
Light Heavyweight: Ilir Latifi won Tyson Peter by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Feather weight: Jeremy Stephens beat Gilbert Melendez by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
PRELIMINARY CARD
Bantamweight: Ketlen Scallop won Sara McMann via submission (katagatame) at 4m16s of R2
Bantamweight: Sarah Moras defeated Ashlee Evans-Smith via submission (armbar) at 2:51 of R1
Featherweight: Rick Glenn won Gavin tucker by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 29-27)
Lightweight: Alex White beat Mitch Clarke by TKO at 4:35 of R2
Heavyweight: Arjan Bhullar won Luis Henrique KLB by unanimous decision (3x 29-28)
Lightweight: Kajan Johnson won Adriano Martins by knockout at 49s of R3
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