Valentina Shevchenko was crowned the UFC’s first ever flyweight champion tonight after a unanimous decision victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Round One:
Leg kick apiece to start. Jedrzejczyk feeling out with the jab. Jedrzejczyk misses with a leg kick, but Shevchenko lands one on the counter.
Leg kick for Jedrzejczyk, but punches upstairs in return from Shevchenko. Into the clinch they go and Shevchenko lands a powerful takedown.
Side control for Shevchenko. She drops down a hard elbow and Jedrzejczyk scrambles. Jedrzejczyk gets to her feet, but Shevchenko lands a knee to the head in the process.
Shevchenko still on her in the clinch though. She was looking for a throw from the headlock but then abandons it. Jedrzejczyk briefly reverses the clinch position, but then Shevchenko has her pressed back against the cage. Jedrzejczyk managing to avoid th the takedown for now, but eats a knee to the body.
Shevchenko still in this clinch and appearing to have the strength advantage here as expected. Shevchenko breaks away from the clinch with a big elbow strike than has Jedrzejczyk adjusting her mouthpiece.
Jedrzejczyk feeling out with kicks and punches and then Shevchenko lands a leg kick. Spinning back kick lands for Shevchenko to the chest. Body kick for Jedrzejczyk is counter by punches upstairs from Shevchenko.
Jedrzejczyk trying to step up her aggression in the final seconds of the round, but Shevchenko catches a kick but doesn’t have time to work it into a takedown.
Round Two:
Push kick to the face for Shevchenko and then a leg kick. Spinning backfist misses. Front kick to the body for Jedrzejczyk. Now a leg kick for her that’s checked.
One-two for Jedrzejczyk, but Shevchenko immediately throws two counters in return with more power. leg kick for JJ. overhand for Jedrzejczyk doesn’t quite connect.
Leg kick for Shevchenko after her rival misses with one of her own. Exchange of kicks. Everything Shevchenko is throwing has more power.
Body kick for Jedrzejczyk. Straight left for Shevchenko. Body kick for her and a three-piece punch combo. Side kick for Shevchenko, but then Jedrzejczyk lands to the midsection too.
Jedrzejczyk moving in with punches, but gets countered with a hook. Kick from Jedrzejczyk, but Shevchenko is able to take her down from that. JJ gets back up and then Shevchenko hoists her into an even more powerful takedown.
Shevchenko in side control and lands a big elbow. More elbow strikes landing to the head now. Jedrzejczyk tries to scramble out of danger, but Shevchenko is strong. Jedrzejczyk gets up but eats a knee in the process and then is immediately brought back down again.
Round Three:
Double push-kick upstairs from Shevchenko, but doesn’t quite connect. Jedrzejczyk with a few low kicks. Body kick lands for her.
Kicks from Jedrzejczyk misses and then a beautiful spinning kick to the body from Shevchenko. Low kick for Jedrzejczyk, but a body kick in return from Shevchenko.
Exchange of punches in close with a left getting through for Shevchenko. Spinning heel kick attempt from Shevchenko. KIck upstairs from Jedrzejczyk is caught by Shevchenko and enables a takedown, though JJ gets straight back up.
Push kick for Shevchenko. Right hand for Jedrzejczyk. Another body kick for her. Punch for Shevchenko, but Jedrzejczyk goes upstairs with a head kick and partially connects.
Unphased Shevchenko comes forward and lands hard punches upstairs. Body kick for Jedrzejczyk as Shevchenko lands a solid leg kick.
Nice counter body kick from Jedrzejczyk. Shevchenko into the clinch and looks for the takedown, but Jedrzejczyk stuffs that one.
Body kick from Shevchenko and leg kick for Jedrzejczyk. Superman punch from Shevchenko and a kick behind it. leg kick for Jedrzejczyk. Spinning backfist attempt from Shevcheko.
Push kick for Jedrzejczyk. Shevchenko into the clinch against the cage. Big knee upstairs from Shevchenko out of nowhere. Another lands just before the end of the round.
Round Four:
Leg kick for Shevchenko. Jedrzejczyk feeling out with punches as she comes forward and then sits down on a couple as shevchenko comes forward.
Shevchenko with a leg kick. One for Jedrzejczyk and then returned by Shevchenko. Clinch and Shevchenko lands a hard knee to the body and then works to the cage, but breaks free shortly afterwards.
Jedrzejczyk with a body punch and a kick upstairs that’s blocked. Counter punch for Shevchenko. Body kick from Jedrzejczyk is caught and Shevchenko lands a big takedown off that to end up in side control.
Jedrzejczyk brings her back to half-guard. Jedrzejczyk gets to her knee and stands. Shevchenko trying to stay clinched, but Jedrzejczyk is able to move around and almost has her back on the feet.
Shevchenko able to bring her back around though. shevchenko trying to bring her down and then works a knee strikes instead. Jedrzejczyk able to reverse the clinch then they break.
Jab for Jedrzejczyk. Push kick for her. Kick upstairs for her just misses. Right hand for Shevchenko. She lands a few punches just as the round comes to a close.
Round Five
Right hand lands for Shevchenko as Jedrzejczyk comes forward. Front kick from Jedrzejczyk lands to the midsection. Another lands.
Jedrzejczyk goes to the leg kick. They clinch and Shevchenko partially trips Jedrzejczyk and then settles for the clinch against the cage.
Jedrzejczyk landing some short shots in there and Shevchenko goes for a knee strike. Shevchenko stalling for time here and that leads to the referee seperating them.
Right hand gets through for Jedrzejczyk. JJ definitely the fresher fighter at this stage. Shevchenko barrels forward with a combination, but doesn’t find the target.
Spinning back from Shevchenko to the body. leg kick for Jedrzejczyk. She tries for a kick upstairs, but mises and Shevchenko lands a leg kick on the counter.
Right hand gets through for Shevchenko. She goes for a short flurry of punches. Spinning backfist misses from JJ. Shevchenko gets into the clinch against the cage.
Knee from Jedrzejczyk seperates the two fighters. Spinning back kick to the body from Shevchenko. in close range a right hand lands for Shevchenko. JJ tries a spinning backfist that misses. Into the clinch they go again as the round comes to an end.
Decision:
Reasonably competitive fight here with shevchenko generally getting the better of the striking with good counters and more power while also landing some big takedowns, although Jedrzejczyk started to work her way into the bout in the championship rounds.
The scorecards are in and it’s Shevchenko who wins by unanimous decision (49-46 x3) to rightly become the UFC’s first ever female flyweight champion.
