MMA Knockout

Valentina Shevchenko opens second title reign with gritty UFC 315 victory

"Bullet" retained her title in a closely-contested fight.
Drew Beaupre|
(Zuffa LLC)

Valentina Shevchenko's second reign as UFC women's flyweight champion opened with a matchup against top contender Manon Fiorot at UFC 315.

Following a lengthy first stint as champion that included seven successful title defenses, Shevchenko lost the women's flyweight belt to Alexa Grasso in a stunning upset at UFC 285.

The pair fought to a draw in their immediate rematch before Shevchenko reclaimed the belt in a trilogy bout at UFC 306, which set up a matchup with a fresh challenger in the #2-ranked Fiorot at UFC 315.

READ MORE: UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena free live stream results & highlights

Shevchenko Bests Fiorot In Hard-Fought Battle

Shevchenko vs. Fiorot was scheduled as the co-main event for UFC 315 alongside the headlining title bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, and despite her status as champion "Bullet" entered the fight as a slight underdog.

Both women got a chance to showcase their striking skills during the opening few minutes of the fight, and after Shevchenko opened up a cut on Fiorot the champion decided to switch things up with a takedown that allowed her to maintain top position for the remainder of the first round.

Both women attempted takedowns in the second round in between striking exchanges, and after Fiorot finally managed to get the champion down against the fence "The Beast" threw what could have been a fight-ending illegal knee that Shevchenko managed to block with her forearm.

READ MORE: José Aldo retires following controversial UFC 315 defeat

There were moments of success from both sides in a third round that saw Shevchenko connect with a spinning back fist while Fiorot continued trying to bring "Bullet" to the canvas. Following a brief takedown from Shevchenko, a huge knockdown in the waning seconds gave the champion some considerable momentum heading into the final five minutes.

Fiorot worked hard to try and pressure Shevchenko during the fifth round with the fight seemingly still up for grabs, and at the end of 25 minutes of action "Bullet" successfully retained her title via unanimous decision.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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