We know everyone is on the Valentina Shevchenko (14-2) hype train after the win. She dispensed of top contender Juliana Pena (8-3) in less than two rounds – by armbar nonetheless. However Amanda Nunes (14-4) is a different animal, and unfortunately for Shevchenko, her power and confidence is on the rise.
Though we used the term “hype train”, Shevchenko is anything but. A solid striker whose technical skills are trumped only by her toughness, fighting for her seems like a religion. Her obsessive personality means she’s always in the gym, always training, and always getting better; the buddhist monk of the bantamweight division.