It’s been a year of ups and downs for Valentina Shevchenko. Following a dominant victory in February in over Priscila Cachoeira, a title shot seemed like a natural progression in the uncharted, newly-minted flyweight division.
After what felt like an eternity, a fight with champion Nicco Montano finally was slated for UFC 228 in September before being abruptly cancelled when Montano was forced to withdraw. When the TUF winner was stripped of the title, fans salivated at the prospect of Shevchenko squaring off with former strawweight champ Joanna Ju0119drzejczyk for the vacant belt. After a series of fits and starts, that bout will finally go down on Saturday, and the division will emerge with an undeniable champ.