Tag: Valentina Shevchenko

UFC 247 faceoff video: Lots of chatter between Jon Jones, Dominick Reyes in first staredown

The UFC 247 title-fight participants got a first look at each other as the on-sale press conference ended with faceoffs

LAS VEGAS – Promotional efforts for February’s UFC 247 kicked off today with tickets going on sale to the public and the key fighters participating in a press conference.

UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) and top contender [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who meet in the main event, were in attendance, as were women’s flyweight titleholder [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who clash in the co-headliner.

At the conclusion of the press conference, the fighters from the two title matchups came face-to-face for the first time ahead of the Feb. 8 event, which takes place at Toyota Center in Houston and airs on pay-per-view following prelims, likely to air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Intensity was in the air, and there was lots of talk between the headliners, but everyone involved stayed professional. To see how it all unfolded, watch the video above to see the UFC 247 press conference faceoffs.

[vertical-gallery id=391887]

[vertical-gallery id=390009]

The 10 best UFC knockouts in 2019 – Jorge Masvidal had a few

2019 had some incredible knockouts.

There were some incredible knockouts in the UFC in 2019, including a few memorable ones by Jorge Masvidal, who had a monster year that concluded for him by winning the BMF belt in his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 (though hopefully they run that one back).

We saw big knockouts in title fights, big-name fights, early prelim fights – just about everywhere.

Will there be anymore at UFC 245 this weekend, a monster event that has three title fights on its main card?

While we get ready for that huge night of fights, let’s look back at the 10 best KOs from the past year.

10. Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith, UFC Washington.

This one happened just a few days ago as Muradov kicked off UFC Washington by sending Smith’s mouthguard flying to the moon.

9. Johnny Walker vs. Misha Cirkunov, UFC 235.

Walker’s flying knee just 30 seconds into this fight was a thing of beauty. His celebration afterward wasn’t, however, as he dislocated his shoulder while doing the worm.

8. Josh Emmett vs. Michael Johnson, UFC Philadelphia.

Emmett started slow in this fight but he finished pretty strong with that right hand that put Johnson out on his feet. My goodness.

7. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye, UFC 238.

Shevchenko is one of the most dangerous fighters in the fight game and she proved that during her flyweight title defense in June.

6. Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas, UFC 237.

Andrade put an end to Namajunas’ run as strawweight champ with that stunning slam in the second round of their fight back in May.

5. Justin Gaethje vs Edson Barboza. UFC Philadelphia.

Gaethje picked up yet another Fight of the Night bonus thanks to that overhand right that put an end to the main event at UFC Philadelphia in March.

4. Jorge Masvidal vs. Darren Till, UFC Fight Night 147.

Masvidal had an incredible 2019, which began with this brutal KO of Darren Till in enemy territory in London. Not sure that last punch while Till was out was super necessary, but the BMF does as he pleases. We’ll get to another one of his awesome KO’s in a few.

3. Kevin Lee vs. Gregor Gillespie, UFC 244.

Kevin Lee put Gregor Gillespie to sleep midway through the first round of their fight at MSG with that BRUTAL left head kick.

2. Anthony Pettis vs. Stephen Thompson, UFC Fight Night 148.

Pettis’ superman punch with five seconds left in the second round of his fight against Wonderboy Thompson was a beautiful piece of controlled violence.

1. Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren, UFC 239.

This fight had so much hype behind it and then… it was over in five seconds thanks to a flying knee that will never be forgotten. Five seconds! It led to this great reaction from Paul Felder, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik:

 

Valentina Shevchenko sees similarities between Katlyn Chookagian and Holly Holm’s styles

Valentina Shevchenko sees similarities between UFC 247 opponent Katlyn Chookagian and past opponent Holly Holm’s styles.

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] believes she’s already faced a similar style opponent to her next challenger, [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag].

Shevchenko (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) defends her flyweight title vs. Chookagian (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC 247 on Feb. 8 in Houston and thinks Chookagian possesses similar traits as one of her past opponents, former UFC 135-pound champ [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag], who she was able to outpoint over the course of five rounds in 2016.

“You know, I see her style a little bit – not completely, but a little bit – similar to Holly Holm’s style,” Shevchenko said on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.” “Liking fighting on a distance, having her distance, and I think no one was complaining from my fight with Holly. Everybody liked it, so I think it’s going to be good.”

Since dropping down to flyweight, Chookagian has gone 4-1 and is coming off back-to-back wins over Joanne Calderwood and Jennifer Maia, but has yet to score a finish in her UFC career.

[lawrence-related id=466369,458287]

And while Shevchenko received quite a bit of criticism for her last title defense, a unanimous decision win over Liz Carmouche in Uruguay, “The Bullet” said it’s most likely because of the momentum she was riding from her “Knockout of the Year” contender over Jessica Eye.

“Of course I understand why people were expecting, because coming from second-round KO, head-kick KO, everyone was expecting the same, but like I say every time, all people are different,” Shevchenko said.

“I never think about what happened before, because it already happened. I had a great fight there, and if you can take a look at the fight, it was a very technical fight, and I had several knockdowns in this fight.”

One thing’s for sure: Shevchenko does not seem to take any opponent lightly. She said she knew she’d cross paths with Chookagian eventually and is fully focused on her now, since she’s the next task at hand.

“Yes, I saw her fight,” Shevchenko said. “I never was like too much paying attention on her performances because she never was like opponent No. 1 for me because it was every time – you know me, every time I have my opponent No. 1, and I’m ready for this kind of opponent,” Shevchenko said. “I was preparing for Jessica, then for Liz Carmouche. Of course I look at other girls’ fights, … but it’s never paying too much attention, but now it’s time to pay a lot of attention to her fighting style, and I think everything is going to be good.”

[vertical-gallery id=430761]

UFC Fight Pass 500 Moments video: Valentina Shevchenko delivers knockout for the ages

The UFC recently held its 500th live event, and the organization is marking the occasion with a list of 500 Unforgettable Moments.

UFC 244 marked the promotion’s 500th live event, and the organization is celebrating the occasion with “an internally curated list of 500 Unforgettable Moments from UFC history.”

Scheduled to be released in seven installments, UFC Fight Pass 500 Moments shines a spotlight on some of the most memorable highlights – and lowlights – from the UFC’s 26-year run, both in and out of the cage.

UFC Fight Pass officials have committed to sharing video of a few of those key moments with MMA Junkie, as well. This time, we bring you one of the best knockouts of 2019 – and all-time – when UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] knocked [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] out cold with a walk-off head kick finish at UFC 238 for her first successful title defense.

UFC.com’s Walker Van Wey sets the table:

Jessica Eye had one of the greatest climbs in recent memory when she went from four straight losses to flyweight title shot against Valentina Shevchenko. 2018 Comeback Fighter of the Year made it a little over a round before being on the wrong end of possibly the hardest head kick KO in the history of women’s MMA.

You can watch the fight footage in the video above. And check out a few more memorable moments below:

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Spinning Back Clique: Is Israel Adesanya inside Jon Jones’ head?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 4 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]-[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] rivalry, UFC 246’s two title fights in Houston, what’s next for [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] in Bellator and more.

Show rundown:

  • Jon Jones said he’s done talking about Israel Adesanya. But then he went right back to talking about him. So is Adesanya, the UFC’s middleweight champion, in light heavyweight champ Jones’ head?
  • We’ve got two UFC title fights set for February in Houston. Who’s more likely to lose? Jon Jones against challenger [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag], or women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] against challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag]?
  • What should be next for Michael Page in Bellator after his first-round knockout win over another unheralded opponent?
  • Floyd Mayweather said he’s coming out of retirement – and is going to be in business with UFC president Dana White. So what’s it going to be?
  • During Thanksgiving week, what are we thankful for in the world of MMA?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 4 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=462337]

MMA Junkie Radio #3003: On Shevchenko vs. Chookagian, Adesanya-Costa feud, more

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the latest MMA news and notes, from fights booked to feuds ramping up.

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On episode 3,002 of the podcast, the guys break down the latest MMA news and notes.

The rundown

  • UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] has her next title defense lined up, and it’ll happen against [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] on Feb. 8 in Houston. We offer our thoughts on the matchup and ponder Shevchenko’s status as one of the all-time great female fighters.
  • Did you see that [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] is set to fight … [autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag]? Latifi recently announced his move up to heavyweight from light heavyweight, and that’s one hell of an introduction to the division.
  • Question: Would [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] have a better shot in a rematch with UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] than Alexander Gustafsson did his second time around? We discuss.
  • Good news: [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] is on schedule with his recovery to return soon. Bad news: We still have no idea which UFC title he’ll defend first – flyweight or bantamweight. Whose decision is it, and what will ultimately be decided?
  • [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] ranted about UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] this week and called him a “p***y African.” That … might be racist?
  • A potential fight between [autotag]Jason Knight[/autotag] and [autotag]Paulie Malignaggi[/autotag] in either boxing or bare knuckle: Is that something we want to see?
  • [autotag]Josh Thomson[/autotag] wants to run it back with [autotag]Gilbert Melendez[/autotag] for a fourth time, and lobbies for Bellator to make it happen. Are we into it?

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at AudioBoom, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Valentina Shevchenko set to defend UFC title vs. Katlyn Chookagian on Feb. 8

Valentina Shevchenko is back, and she’ll take on a first-time UFC title challenger.

UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] is back.

Shevchenko (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will take on first-time title challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] at an event targeted for Houston on Feb. 8.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the fight booking to MMA Junkie early Thursday, but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. ESPN was first to report the news.

As for Chookagian (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), the New Jersey-based fighter’s first UFC title shot comes on the heels of back-to-back victories.

In her most recent outing at UFC 244 in early November, Chookagian continued her success when she defeated Jennifer Maia by unanimous decision. Prior to the victory over Maia, Chookagian defeated Joanne Calderwood at UFC 238 in June.

[opinary poll=”who-do-you-think-wins-between-shevchenko” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Conversely, Shevchenko hasn’t lost a bout at flyweight in her professional career. After an unsuccessful attempt to dethrone bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 215 in September 2017, Shevchenko elevated to 125 pounds.

At her new weight class, Shevchenko defeated Priscila Cachoeira in her flyweight debut. In her second 125-pound UFC outing, Shevchenko earned the vacant title by defeating former strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231 in December 2018.

In her first title defense, Shevchenko added Jessica Eye to her highlight reel at UFC 238. After a lackluster first round, Shevchenko woke up the United Center crowd with a thunderous head-kick knockout in Round 2.

[lawrence-related id=458287,453528]

Shevchenko’s most recent title defense came in August at UFC on ESPN+ 14. In a rematch of her 2010 loss to Liz Carmouche, Shevchenko obtained her revenge by defeating Carmouche via unanimous decision, sweeping all five rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards.

Check out the current lineup for the UFC’s Feb. 8 event below:

  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Katlyn Chookagian – for women’s flyweight title
  • Mirsad Bektic vs. Dan Ige
  • Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ryan Spann
  • Andrea Lee vs. Lauren Murphy
  • Ilir Latifi vs. Derrick Lewis
  • Juan Adams vs. Justin Tafa

[vertical-gallery id=390009]

[vertical-gallery id=396409]