Valentina Shevchenko reclaimed the women’s flyweight title in an electrifying showdown at UFC 306, where she faced Alexa Grasso in a highly anticipated trilogy fight. On Saturday night, Shevchenko defended her championship for the first time during her second reign against the No. 2 ranked fighter, Manon Fiorot, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Fiorot entered the octagon with an impressive 12-fight winning streak, remaining undefeated since her professional debut in June 2018. The fight held historical significance for Fiorot, as she aimed to become the first female French champion in UFC history.
The action kicked off with Shevchenko connecting first with an inside leg kick, quickly following up with a solid right hand. Fiorot, appearing visibly larger than Shevchenko, retaliated with her own side kick to the body, forcing Shevchenko backward. Both fighters exchanged leg kicks, with Shevchenko effectively landing another right hand. Fiorot’s aggression resulted in her facing early adversity, as a counter right from Shevchenko left Fiorot bleeding from the nose. With 90 seconds remaining in the opening round, Shevchenko caught one of Fiorot's kicks and executed a takedown, delivering short punches to the body while holding her ground. MMAWeekly scored the first round 10-9 in favor of Shevchenko.
As the second round began, Fiorot sought an early takedown, initiating a struggle against the cage before they separated. Shevchenko displayed her skills with a spinning back kick to the body, while Fiorot pushed forward in an attempt to assert control. During a clinch, Shevchenko took Fiorot down, but the latter quickly regained her feet. Fiorot defended against another takedown from Shevchenko and landed an elbow upon separation. Following another takedown attempt that yielded no success for Fiorot, she landed a knee strike that was borderline illegal. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Fiorot, equalizing the bout.
The third round saw Shevchenko open with another leg kick as Fiorot missed a head kick in response. The two exchanged strikes during a clinch, with Fiorot delivering an elbow. Continuing her strategy, Shevchenko landed more leg kicks, then attempted a takedown, which was met with a clinch against the cage where both fighters delivered knees. Shevchenko countered with a stiff jab and a spinning back fist, as Fiorot sought to bring the fight to the ground. It proved to be a tight round, but MMAWeekly scored it 10-9 for Shevchenko, giving her the lead.
Shevchenko maintained pressure in the fourth round, landing leg kicks and a spinning kick counter that left Fiorot bleeding again. As Fiorot attempted another takedown, Shevchenko defended well. The fighters exchanged strikes, and in the late seconds, Shevchenko's counter right hand floored Fiorot, capping off a dominant round. MMAWeekly scored this round 10-9 for Shevchenko.
In the final round, Fiorot charged forward, but Shevchenko adeptly maneuvered around the octagon. Fiorot found some success in the clinch with a knee to the body before backing away. Shevchenko responded with a counter right hand, but Fiorot clinched again, landing knees to Shevchenko’s thighs. The round saw back-and-forth action, with Fiorot delivering a late elbow, leading MMAWeekly to score it 10-9 for Fiorot.
After a hard-fought battle, the judges rendered their decision, scoring the fight unanimously for Valentina Shevchenko. The final scorecards read 48-47 across the board, confirming Shevchenko’s status as the reigning champion once again.
