Valentina Shevchenko showed off her ground skills in the main event of UFC On FOX 23 tonight as she tapped out Julianna Pena with a slick second round armbar submission.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway on FOX.
Pena with fakes to start. Shevchenko looks for a one-two, but Pena ducks under and gets into the clinch, pushing her opponent against the cage.
Pena with a few knees to the body. Shevchenko tries to reverse the position, but Pena shows her strength by denying that attempt and continuing to land more knees.
However, Shevchenko suddenly executes a well-timed sweep takedown to get on top. It’s not long before Pena gets back up though and goes straight into that clinch against the cage.
More knees to the body from Pena. Those are really adding up at this early stage in the fight. Half-way through the round and again Shevchenko lands an excellent sweep to get the fight to the mat once again.
Shevchenko in side control and starts landing a series of hammerfists. Pena brings her into her guard now. Pena trying to stay busy of her back with short cuffing punches, while Shevchenko is just settling for maintaining top control at the moment.
30 seconds of the round remaining. Pena throws her legs up looking for a possible armbar attempt. 10 seconds to go and Pena flips her opponent over as she continues working for the armbar, but ‘Bullet’ is able to successfully defend the submission until the end of the round.
Round Two:
Pena complained about a shoulder issue inbetween rounds, but she goes straight into the clinch at the start of the second round.
There’s a real battle for control against the cage here as Pena tries to force the fight to the mat, but Shevchenko stays upright.
Pena continues pressing her against the cage and starts working knees again. Now an elbow strike upstairs. More jockeying for position now.
Shevchenko with a knee and then Pena goes in trying for a double-leg takedown. Pena drags Shevchenko to the mat, but only for a brief moment and then they are back up and into the clinch once again.
Pena works Shevchenko away from the fence for a moment and then is able to land a takedown and secure top position.
Pena starts working some ground and pound strikes from inside Shevchenko’s guard. Shevchenko tries to work an armbar attempt off her back, but there’s nothing doing on this occasion.
Soon afterwards Shevchenko again works for an armbar and this time she isolates that arm nicely and goes belly down with it. Great work from ‘Bullet’ and despite Pena’s best efforts she can’t get out and is forced to tap!
Great win for Shevchenko and that proves beyond any doubt that there’s a lot more to her game than just striking and should earn her a title shot against bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, who was in attendance this evening.
