Tuesday, June 6, 2023
  • Login
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
All Access MMA
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
All Access MMA
No Result
View All Result

UFC 255 Preview: (C) Valentina Shevchenko vs. (3) Jennifer Maia – Flyweight Title

by
3 years ago
in Fight News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
1
SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 21: UFC fighter Valentina Shevchenko looks during Q&A session of Fan Experience at UFC Performance Institute on June 21, 2019 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Yifan Ding/Getty Images)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 21: UFC fighter Valentina Shevchenko looks during Q&A session of Fan Experience at UFC Performance Institute on June 21, 2019 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Yifan Ding/Getty Images)

10
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterReddit

Jennifer Maia attempts to become the first person to claim the UFC flyweight belt from dominant champion Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event this weekend. Can Maia cause an upset or will Shevchenko defend her title for the fourth time?

Valentina Shevchenko (19-3) is the UFC flyweight champion and the best female flyweight in UFC history. She is currently ranked number three in the women’s pound for pound rankings and is aiming to defend her title for the fourth time to extend her current winning streak to six bouts.

Shevchenko joined the UFC in 2015 as a bantamweight with an 11-1 record and has amassed an 8-2 record since, including a perfect 5-0 at flyweight. “Bullet” has beaten former bantamweight champion, Holly Holm, by unanimous decision in July 2016, and her only two losses have come against current double champion at bantamweight and featherweight, Amanda Nunes.

RelatedPosts

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

Henry Cejudo believes UFC 288 title fight against Aljamain Sterling ‘doesn’t go past three rounds’

The first bout with Nunes took place before either fighter had a UFC belt at UFC 196 with Nunes winning by unanimous decision and the rematch being for the 135lbs belt. In this second matchup, Nunes secured a split decision victory to retain her title at UFC 215 and Shevchenko has competed at flyweight since.

Unbeaten at flyweight, the Kyrgyzstani fighter won the 125lbs belt against former strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk by unanimous decision at UFC 231 and has defended three times. Shevchenko’s most recent fight saw her beat Katlyn Chookagian by TKO early in round three at UFC 247.

With a background in Muay Thai and taekwondo, we can expect Shevchenko to counter with kickboxing strikes and, if she chooses, attempt to secure takedowns with judo throws. She will be aiming to add to her two KO/TKO and two submission victories in the octagon (three of which came in the second round) and has a three-inch reach advantage over Maia to utilize.

A new contender! A dominant champion!

What happens Saturday night? 🏆

[ #UFC255 Countdown | Tonight on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/9CI6Ul6oG0

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2020

Jennifer Maia (18-6-1) is a former flyweight champion in the Invicta FC and Circuito Talent de MMA promotions. She joined the UFC as the Invicta champion and on a six-fight win streak.

Maia’s last fight was a Performance of the Night submission win via armbar with 31 seconds of the first round remaining against Joanne Calderwood in August, her only finish in the UFC and first since 2015. All of Maia’s other UFC bouts have gone to the judges and been called as unanimous decisions.

The Brazilian had missed weight in her two fights prior to her most recent win, once by three pounds, and cannot afford to make the same mistake if she is to have a chance to claim UFC gold. Maia’s background is in boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai, so both fighters are skilled standing and on the ground – Maia may think she has a better chance against Shevchenko on the floor rather than striking though.

Shevchenko is a dominant champion and it would be a huge achievement for Maia to claim victory and the belt this weekend in what is her first five round UFC contest.

Prediction: Shevchenko by decision.

Follow Rob Bartle on Twitter

Other articles by Rob Bartle via his Medium page

Tags: FlyweightJennifer MaiaufcUFC 255valentina shevchenko

Related Posts

Paul Craig in the Octagon
Fight News

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

May 4, 2023
100
Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the octagon
Fight News

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

May 4, 2023
100
Jorge Masvidal on the scale
Fight News

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

May 4, 2023
100
Load More

Latest

Paul Craig in the Octagon

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

May 4, 2023
Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the octagon

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

May 4, 2023
Jorge Masvidal on the scale

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

May 4, 2023
Henry Cejudo in the cage

Henry Cejudo believes UFC 288 title fight against Aljamain Sterling ‘doesn’t go past three rounds’

April 30, 2023
Sergei Pavlovich in the cage

Daniel Cormier advises Sergei Pavlovich to not take another fight and be backup fighter for Jones-Miocic

April 30, 2023

Find us on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

All Access MMA

© 2021 All Access MMA - Cage coverage, anaysis and news.

Navigation

  • Home
  • Privacy/Cookie policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Part of the Project Spurs Network

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast

© 2021 All Access MMA - Cage coverage, anaysis and news.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.