Valentina Shevchenko Consolidates Her Dominance in the UFC Women’s Flyweight Division
Valentina Shevchenko continues to demonstrate her supremacy in the UFC women’s flyweight division, surpassing a new generation of contenders. On Saturday, Shevchenko earned her tenth victory in a UFC title fight, defending her championship against Manon Fiorot.
The fight, which was co-main event at UFC 315 at the Bell Centre, was a close battle, with Fiorot constantly seeking to take Shevchenko against the cage. However, Shevchenko managed to create the necessary space to outstrike Fiorot. A takedown in the fourth round and some backhand strikes at the end of the fight allowed Shevchenko to take control on the scorecards. All three judges awarded a score of 48-47 in favor of Shevchenko.
I expected a tough fight, she is a good fighter. I’m going to keep going. Numbers (age) are nothing. What is more important is how you feel physically and mentally, how you perform.
Valentina Shevchenko
With this victory, Shevchenko equals the second-highest number of victories in UFC women’s title fights. Amanda Nunes, former bantamweight and featherweight champion, holds the record with 11 victories.
Fiorot, who was looking to become the first French champion in UFC history, had some highlights in the second and third rounds, after receiving a strong right hand in the first round that caused her nose to bleed. She used her physique to keep Shevchenko against the cage and connect knee strikes to the legs and torso. She seemed to be winning the fourth round, until Shevchenko had her key moments at the end.
Fiorot, who entered the fight with a UFC record of 7-0, had achieved impressive victories against Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield. Although she managed to avoid Shevchenko’s attempts to take her to the ground, she was unable to impose her own striking style. Despite her background in karate, she seemed to falter in the distance striking exchange with Shevchenko.
For Shevchenko, this was her first appearance since she concluded a three-fight rivalry with Alexa Grasso, which spanned throughout 2023 and 2024.
