Valentina Shevchenko is challenging UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Nicco Montano for the gold in the co-main event of UFC 228.
The bout had been rumored in the past and it never took place, which is why Shevchenko still doesn’t believe Montano shows up on fight night.
“I hope that Nicco will follow her word and show up in the octagon and fight, because before she’s inside the octagon, I can’t believe she’ll do it,” Shevchenko told reporters at the UFC 228 media day.
Montano is also returning to action for the first time since she won the UFC Women’s Flyweight Title at the UFC Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale.
Shevchenko had previously competed as a bantamweight in the UFC and feels that there are advantages to fighting at flyweight.
“It was a little difficult – or not difficult, but different to fight someone who was cutting from 150, 155 pounds and then after the weigh-in gaining it back,” she said. “It doesn’t mean I was feeling bad. I was feeling good, but at flyweight, I feel much better. Fighting with the same size opponent, it gives you the opportunity to show more skills.”
UFC 228 takes place on Saturday, September 8 from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas with Tyron Woodley and Darren Till headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
