Valentina Shevchenko opens second title reign with gritty UFC 315 victory

Shevchenko Bests Fiorot In Hard-Fought Battle

Shevchenko vs. Fiorot was scheduled as the co-main event for UFC 315 alongside the headlining title bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, and despite her status as champion "Bullet" entered the fight as a slight underdog.

Both women got a chance to showcase their striking skills during the opening few minutes of the fight, and after Shevchenko opened up a cut on Fiorot the champion decided to switch things up with a takedown that allowed her to maintain top position for the remainder of the first round.

Both women attempted takedowns in the second round in between striking exchanges, and after Fiorot finally managed to get the champion down against the fence "The Beast" threw what could have been a fight-ending illegal knee that Shevchenko managed to block with her forearm.

There were moments of success from both sides in a third round that saw Shevchenko connect with a spinning back fist while Fiorot continued trying to bring "Bullet" to the canvas. Following a brief takedown from Shevchenko, a huge knockdown in the waning seconds gave the champion some considerable momentum heading into the final five minutes.

Fiorot worked hard to try and pressure Shevchenko during the fifth round with the fight seemingly still up for grabs, and at the end of 25 minutes of action "Bullet" successfully retained her title via unanimous decision.

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