8. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Holly Holm
UFC on Fox 20
July 23, 2016 | Chicago
Shevchenko beat Holm at her own game. The Kyrgyzstani muay Thai machine announced her presence as a legitimate title contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division with a five-round unanimous decision over Holm before a crowd of 10,287 at the United Center. All three cageside judges scored it 49-46 for Shevchenko. Holm had a brief glimmer of hope in the first round, as she knocked down “The Bullet” with a short right uppercut. From there, it was all downhill. Shevchenko forced the former champion to lead, countering beautifully with sneaky right hooks and piercing jabs. She also targeted the inside of Holm’s lead leg with kicks and mixed in tactical takedowns when the mood arose. Shevchenko’s confidence grew as the rounds passed, and Holm appeared to be more and more gunshy in the face of consistent counterstrikes.
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