Valentina Shevchenko Downplaying High Expectations For UFC 228 Fight
Valentina Shevchenko downplaying high expectations for her next fight under the UFC banner that takes place at the UFC 228 pay-per-view event. The title contender is slated to challenge Nicco Montano for the UFC flyweight title in the co-main event of this show.
Road To Fight
The former women’s bantamweight title challenger made her flyweight debut at UFC Belem in February when she faced Priscila Cachoeira. It was a one-sided beatdown, to say the least. The fact that the flyweight division is lacking worthy title contenders, Shevchenko threw her name into the hat for a potential title fight and got it.
Regarding the champion, Nicco Montano won the inaugural flyweight title when she beat Roxanne Modafferi by unanimous decision at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale in December. However, she has not been seen in the Octagon since as she suffered a broken foot in that fight, which is the reason she has been kept out of action once she decided to undergo the knife and get surgery.
Valentina Shevchenko Downplaying
Coming into this fight, Shevchenko is a huge favorite to win but she’s downplaying while talking about it in interviews. Instead, she is staying focused on the task in front of her.
“It’s never like this, because I know I have to win the fight,” Shevchenko told MMAJunkie. “Of course, I will do everything to finish it sooner. But from my side, I will do everything. I will be myself.
“And I know if you rush too much, it can end very bad. I just, my work, it’s to see timing and react according to the movement of my opponent. So, this is it. I know exactly what people are expecting from me. They want a beautiful fight, and I will show them. I don’t have to adjust for someone bigger, heavier,” she said. “I will be myself and show everything that I know.”
The UFC 228 pay-per-view event is set to take place on Saturday, September 8, 2018 in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center. The main card will air on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET. The preliminary card will air on FX at 8 p.m. ET and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, 6 p.m. ET.
