One of the prevailing narratives to emerge from Valentina Shevchenko’s dominant win at UFC Belem was not only how good Shevchenko looked in her 125-pound debut — she looked like a destroyer of worlds — but also whether the former bantamweight title challenger’s over-matched opponent, Priscila Cachoeira, should have been saved from a grisly, nearly 10-minute beating by her coaches and cornermen.
The striking stats alone told the tale. Cachoeira, a UFC newcomer, was outstruck by an unimaginable margin of 230-3 against Shevchenko, the previously No. 1 ranked bantamweight in the world. Cachoeira also suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in her right knee in the opening minutes of the fight, further limiting her abilities in a contest she ultimately — mercifully — lost via second-round rear-naked choke.