Valentina Shevchenko beat Holly Holm at her own game.
The Kyrgyzstani muay Thai machine announced her presence as a legitimate title contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division with a five-round unanimous decision over Holm in the UFC on Fox 20 headliner on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. All three cageside judges scored it 49-46 for Shevchenko (13-2, 2-1 UFC).
Holm (10-2, 3-2 UFC) had a brief glimmer of hope in the first round, as she knocked down “The Bullet” with a short right uppercut.