UFC 315 results: Valentina Shevchenko outlasts Manon Fiorot in first title defense of second flyweight reign
Valentina Shevchenko opened her second UFC flyweight reign with one of the most impressive, and perhaps close, wins of an already Hall of Fame-worthy career.
The Kyrgyz champion defeated the favored Manon Fiorot (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) at UFC 315 in her first title defense since reclaiming her belt at the conclusion of her trilogy with Alexa Grasso.
Advertisement
Shevchenko opened the fight looking like an untouchable champion, clearly taking the first round and leaving Fiorot with a bloody nose, not to mention an almost-dazed look in her eyes. Fiorot's response was impressive. She controlled the second round, mostly through clinches, and held on enough to have an argument for the third round.
An also-even fourth round ended with Fiorot on the mat again after Shevchenko got he with a counter-right, but the buzzer prevented further damage. Many had the fight even going into the fifth, and it the outcome was still unclear as it went to the scorecards.
Had the outcome been dependent on clinch time, Fiorot would have been sitting pretty. Instead, the judges gave it to Shevchenko, who showed she can still do damage eight years after her first title fight.
Advertisement
The scorecards reflected the close nature of the final three rounds. Judges Sal D'Amato and Chris Lee both gave the third round to Fiorot, then the fourth and fifth rounds to Shevchenko. Guy Girard did nearly the opposite, awarding the third and fourth to Shevchenko then the fifth to Fiorot (we'll take the majority's side there).
Get full UFC 315 results, highlights and play-by-play of the pay-per-view main card here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Patchy Mix labels himself 'one of the most hyped' UFC signings in history
Patchy Mix labels himself 'one of the most hyped' UFC signings in history Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Patchy Mix media day interview UFC 316 fighter Patchy Mix spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his main card bout vs. Mario Bautista on Saturday in Newark, N.J. MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Patchy Mix has no problem elevating the expectations ahead of his already highly-anticipated UFC debut. Mix (20-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a former Bellator bantamweight champion, is set to make his first walk to the octagon this Saturday at UFC 316 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), which takes place at Prudential Center in Newark. He takes on rising contender Mario Bautista (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC). For quite some time now, many have regarded Mix as one of the best fighters at 135 pounds. Mix is well aware of the chatter around his signing and very much agrees with the narrative going into Saturday's pay-per-view event. "I'm 31 years old, and I'm 20-1 with a very, very close decision loss. I mean, I could be 21-0, one round removed," Mix said at UFC 316 media day on Wednesday. "I'm in my prime. I have like an 80 percent finish rate. The last five guys I've fought have like a record combined of like 120-15. That's a crazy amount of experience and crazy good names. "I feel like I'm one of the most hyped prospects to ever have come over. Maybe if the promotion didn't sell and all that stuff, I don't know if I would've been able to get out to come over. I guess everything just worked out for a reason.' Mix was the last Bellator bantamweight champion before the promotion was bought by PFL and then disbanded. Although he had fights left on his contract with PFL, the promotion granted him his release, which led to signing with the UFC. Although Mix has considered himself the world's best for a while now, he knows that joining the UFC was crucial to proving the world what he's made of. "I belong in the UFC," Mix said. "I am among, if not, I truly, full-heartedly believe I'm the best bantamweight in the world, and I need to be in the UFC to prove that. I'm happy to have the diehards' support, but I'm looking forward to proving on Saturday why people support me, why I'm as touted as I am."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Danish heartbreak offered glimpse into NI future
International Friendly: Denmark v Northern Ireland Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen Date: Saturday, 7 June Kick-off: 18:00 BST Coverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI, listen on BBC Sounds and follow live text commentary & in-play clips on the BBC Sport website Advertisement Northern Ireland's last visit to Copenhagen will always be best remembered for the almost five-minute VAR check that preceded the disallowing of Callum Marshall's injury-time equaliser. The debutant striker thought his instinctive flick only nine minutes into his international career had secured a creditable draw only for technology to intervene and eventually judge that Jonny Evans was marginally offside in the build-up. Michael O'Neill described the decision as "a joke" but, as he brings his side back to the Parken Stadium just shy of two years on for a friendly on Saturday evening, the manager can look back on the heart-breaking night as a key staging post of his second spell in charge. Coming in between dispiriting home defeats by Finland and Kazakhstan, the game may not have appeared to be any great turning point yet, in the time since, those who were then just dipping their toes into international waters have become the core of his side. Advertisement O'Neill was without 10 regulars when last in Copenhagen, travelling without the likes of Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Corry Evans, Josh Magennis and Conor Washington, while Craig Cathcart pulled out on the morning of the game. In their absence, O'Neill started three teenagers in an international XI for the first time in his career, with Liverpool's Conor Bradley joined by Isaac Price and Shea Charles, while another two, Marshall and Dale Taylor, came off the bench. Indeed, it was the first time since May 2011 that any Northern Ireland side had featured as many as three players yet to celebrate their 20th birthdays. Then it was Josh Carson, Johnny Gorman and Lee Hodson who all started together against Wales in the short-lived Nations Cup under manager Nigel Worthington. Advertisement While the latter won 24 caps and was a member of the squad that went to Euro 2016, that neither Carson nor Gorman hit double figures illustrates the vagaries of development when it comes to throwing young players in at the deep end. With that in mind, O'Neill can only be delighted with how his own teenage trio have progressed. Now all 21-years-old, Bradley is the team's talisman and was a part of the Liverpool squad that won the Premier League this season. Shea Charles was in his final weeks on the books at Manchester City at the time of the Denmark fixture and would soon join Southampton. On loan at Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship this season, he impressed at Hillsborough and, like Bradley, has already captained the international side. Advertisement For a team who have struggled for a regular goalscorer since the days of David Healy and Kyle Lafferty, the final member of the triumvirate, Price, developing a knack for finding the back of the net has been key. Having left Everton for Standard Liege shortly after his first international start, the midfielder swapped Belgium for West Brom in January and already has eight goals in 20 caps. In Northern Ireland's history only Norman Whiteside - who scored his eighth international goal three weeks and six days after his 21st birthday - ever scored as many at such a young age. Throw in the fact that the June 2023 game also represented a first start for Trai Hume, another of O'Neill's captains who was integral to Sunderland's promotion to the Premiership this season, and the game can now be said to have represented a real glimpse into the side's future. Isaac Price has scored six goals in his past five internationals for Northern Ireland [Getty Images] Final preparations for World Cup qualification Back then, Northern Ireland were in the middle of a run of just three wins in 16 fixtures and O'Neill said after the game that he was "not thinking about [tournament] qualification" but instead simply "about putting points on the board". Advertisement Since, the goalposts have moved with three defeats in 13 games, a run that began with a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture with Denmark, raising hopes that O'Neill could lead a second squad to a major tournament. With this window, where Northern Ireland will also host Iceland in Belfast on 10 June, representing the final games before qualification for the 2026 World Cup begins in September, the return to Copenhagen offers an interesting yardstick to measure progress. With Bradley and Crystal Palace's Justin Devenny the only players in O'Neill's panel to have featured in the Premier League this season, their hosts on Saturday, ranked 21st in the Fifa world rankings, will contain a plethora of players drawn from Europe's top leagues. In Northern Ireland's last outing, an injury-hit panel struggled in a 5-1 defeat to Sweden when the top-flight quality of Newcastle United's Alexander Isak proved especially telling. Advertisement With Germany in their four-team group to make it to Canada, Mexico and the USA next summer, there is clearly a need for more regular exposure to higher level of opposition. Two years ago a callow side almost pulled off a shock draw. Saturday offers the opportunity to show how far along the path that same group have come since then.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
CM Punk Praises AJ Styles After WWE RAW Showdown: 'Let's Not Wait 21 Years for the Next Time'
CM Punk and AJ Styles clash for the first time on WWE RAW after two decades. The dream matchup finally took place in a triple threat money in the bank qualifying match featuring CM Punk, AJ Styles, and El Grande Americano. Punk and Styles both considered among the greatest wrestlers of their generation had not faced each other since their early days on the independent scene. Their last match occurred back in 2004. Advertisement The two legends shared the WWE ring for the first time ever, and the moment was visibly special. They even shared a laugh while locking up for the first time in years. However, despite the massive anticipation surrounding the bout, El Grande Americano scored a shocking upset over both Punk and Styles, securing his spot in the Money in the Bank match. The match saw into chaos with interference from Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. This distraction allowed Americano to take advantage. As Styles climbed the apron to hit a Phenomenal Forearm. However, Americano countered it with a mid-air headbutt knocking Styles out for the win. Punk and AJ Styles have now shared the ring for the first time in 21 years, and Punk is already eager for a rematch with The Phenomenal One. He took to Instagram stories and shared a picture of himself, writing, '@ajstylesp1, I've got a lot on my plate right now but I'll always make room for you. Thank you for the boot print on my nose. Let's not wait 21 years for the next time. You're a legend.' AJ Styles explains why tapping out is a smart move in pro wrestling AJ Styles and Samoa Joe share a long history filled with countless matches. At the Fanatics Live Signing at WWE World, Styles recalled an early TNA match where he tapped out to Joe. Advertisement 'There was a match that we had in TNA. And I remember he choked me out and there was a big thing about, 'Oh you don't wanna tap out to the [new guy coming in]… You know, get choked out.' [I'm like], 'What are you talking about? I don't know if you have heard of the UFC. People tap out all the time,' Styles pointed out. 'Because they are smart and they really don't want to go to sleep. Or they don't want their arm broken.' 'So, in that match, and you know what? [Samoa] Joe was new coming in. And it was an amazing match and it made that match so much better than I was able to tap out. I think, and, the Samoan Submission was one of the best I've ever been in the ring with.' Read More: AJ Styles On CM Punk: Past Performance Predicts Future Behavior; I Was Wrong The post CM Punk Praises AJ Styles After WWE RAW Showdown: 'Let's Not Wait 21 Years for the Next Time' appeared first on Wrestlezone.
