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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Valentina Shevchenko suspects title defense against fellow UFC champ Zhang Weili next
After a closely contested decision win to open her second reign as UFC women's flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko thinks a superfight might be next. Shevchenko (25-4-1 MMA, 14-3-1 UFC) outworked challenger Manon Fiorot (12-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) a little more than three weeks ago at UFC 315 in Toronto in the co-main event. She won with a trio of 48-47 scores. It wasn't immediately clear after the win whom her next challenger would be. Advertisement Saturday, while in Las Vegas, Shevchenko could have gotten a little clarity with the UFC on ESPN 68 main event between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber – until Barber pulled out moments before her walkout, effectively ditching herself from the conversation. Before Shevchenko beat Fiorot, Natalia Silva knocked Alexa Grasso down the ladder. So there is Silva, and there is Blanchfield – but Shevchenko also thinks when the time comes to figure out what's next, the name could be from another division. Shevchenko thinks strawweight champ Zhang Weili (26-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has designs on a move up to 125 pounds for a shot at the belt, and that's the fight she thinks is most realistic. "Flyweight right now is the most exciting weight class – so many good and talented fighters," Shevchenko said on the post-fight show after the UFC on ESPN 68 broadcast. "But from the other side, you can see the champion. She built up her career. She deserves so much because of her title defenses. I feel at this point, she deserves this fight. Everyone deserves it." Advertisement After a two-fight run of losses to Rose Namajunas in title fights, Weili has five straight wins. She had one defense in 2023 against Amanda Lemos, one in 2024 against Yan Xiaonan and one earlier this year at UFC 312 against Tatiana Suarez. Virna Jandiroba put herself in position to get a title shot in April with her fifth straight win, and she's one name Shevchenko doesn't have on her resume yet. But the idea of fighting Weili ultimately might be hard to resist – though Shevchenko stressed she'll wait until she's fully recovered from her win over Fiorot and ready to start a camp before she'll fully dive into preparing for anyone. "Weili has the same passion for martial arts (as me) and has this mindset of 'no matter what happens' – not fame or whatever," Shevchenko said. "She's very loyal and feels good about mixed martial arts. This is what I like about her. It's the same as I am, the feeling for martial arts itself. I'm hearing from my fans this is what they want to see." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC champ Valentina Shevchenko willing to fight Zhang Weili next
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Jon Jones confirms career move amid retirement claims after Dana White's defiant update on Tom Aspinall UFC fight
JON JONES has issued a major statement on his future amid the continued uncertainty of a super-fight with Tom Aspinall. A historic heavyweight title unification bout between the undisputed and interim titleholders has been on the cards since last November but has yet to come to fruition. 5 5 5 The UFC recently met Jones' demand to be paid "f**k you money" to face the Brit, which many thought would scupper the mammoth melee. Many MMA fans have predicted Jones could snub the fight and sail off into the sunset, a scenario the former pound-for-pound king has, for the time being, ruled out. In an Instagram post featuring a room in his house with fight posters from cards he's fought on, he wrote: "Now, as you can see… still haven't framed or hung the Stipe fight yet. "Been moving a million miles an hour lately. But there's one last perfect spot left on my wall of victory. "And looking at this wall, it really hits me. This isn't just artwork. "It's legacy. Every poster tells a story. Different chapters. "Different homes. Different battles. Wins that meant the world at the time. Fights that made history. "I've said it before, my career hasn't been perfect, but it's been undeniably legendary. Epic. Special. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 "Just a few words that come to mind. Legend after legend. Era after era. "What I'm most proud of? I've evolved. I'm so much more than just a fighter. Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant "I'm a man growing stronger in my faith, a family man, a loyal brother to my team, a businessman, a leader, a man for my community. " And I know - without a doubt - my mother would be proud of the man I've become. "The wall's almost filled… but trust me, the story's still being written. The best is yet to come." Jones' insistence that his "best is yet to come" came just days after UFC supremo Dana White insisted his proposed fight with Aspinall will come to fruition. Commenting on since-retracted claims the fight has been 'agreed', White said late last month: 'Everything you hear is bulls**t until we say it." 5 He added: "I've said it many times, that's the fight we want to make this year, [I'm] still super confident [it happens].' "I've said since Day One that this would be the biggest heavyweight fight in the history of the company and the history of the sport. "This will be a big one." Jones has been out of the cage since his stunning spinning back kick stoppage of former heavyweight king Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November. Aspinall, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since decimating Curtis Blaydes in just 60 seconds in their UFC 304 rematch last July.
