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'The Redux'
Valentina 'Bullet' Shevchenko:
This muay thai queen is the most formidable striker in all of women's mma. She possesses three wins over the straw weight queen, and top pound for pound fighter Joanna Jędrzejczyk. She also harnesses a devastating arsenal of high kicks, and her vicious punches in bunches eliminate any reach or size disadvantage she may have. Her first two fights in the UFC were against top five contenders, she has been forced to evolve quickly, and she has done so excellently. Her arm bar finish over the sturdy Juliana Pena showed she can not only fight in the ruthless conditions such as elevation, she can also out grapple wrestlers and finish them! Her striking acumen is second to none, and her durability and mind set make her champion material more so than anyone!
Amanda 'Lioness' Nunes:
This Brazilian bomber is the epitome of savage. She has immense power for the weight class, and her lanky arms make her a nightmare for anyone untrained on the feet. She dominated the ranks and finished the likes of uber durable Olympian Sara McMann on her way to the top, her finish of Meisha Tate in the main event of UFC 200 showed the mass public what kind of beast she actually is. Her suffocating chokes combined with the intent, and power to damage make her an absolute whirlwind of terror. She is always motivated to be the best, and she will always seek the finish!
Breakdown and Prediction:
We have been here once before, these two ladies were destined to meet in their initial rematch but Nunes pulled out last minute. In fact only a few hours before fight time did the Lioness call the fight off, something unheard of in a title fight. This was the first sign of weakness, as Valentina was primed and ready to go. All has been forgiven in the folly of the past, but Valentina Shevchenko is on a mission to attain the title that has so long eluded her... The striking of both women can be matched as power vs. technique; Nunes is a more barbaric brawler whom uses heavy straight punches to get inside and take the opponent down. Her ground and pound is lethal, but she has only so much time until her gas tank runs out and renders her nearly useless. Valentina is a technical prancer whom can tango for hours, a 25 minute fight is a brisk walk for her as she is trained in damaging with all 8 limbs. Her high kicks and grappling defense make her a tour de force of attrition and skill, she is unbreakable and has oonly ever lost once....to Amanda Nunes.
The first fight was a battle of two very powerful women, neither knowing about the other's skill set. Nunes won the first fight by stealing the first two rounds, she nearly beat Valentina into submission a couple of times. This was a wake up call to the somewhat unassuming Russian fighter, she had never experienced the skill gap that the UFC implements. Her second fight in the UFC was against a woman streaking to become champion, now the 'Bullet' is a much more evolved, and ready creature. These are two destroyers, yet only one is perfect.....
Valentina 'Bullet' Shevchenko by TKO Round 3