Fighting 'master' Valentina Shevchenko promises different result in rematch with champ Amanda Nunes

DENVER – Valentina Shevchenko is ready to take the UFC women’s bantamweight title from Amanda Nunes after her win over Julianna Pena in Saturday’s UFC on FOX 23 headliner.

Shevchenko (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) picked up an emphatic victory over Pena (8-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in what was promoted as a No. 1 contender fight to Nunes’ (14-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) belt. Not only did she stop the fight inside the distance, but she did it in the area where her opponent was strongest when she locked up an armbar for the second-round submission.

The successful showing at Pepsi Center in Denver marked Shevchenko’s second consecutive victory in a FOX-televised headliner after beating former UFC champ Holly Holm at UFC on FOX 20 in July, and “Bullet” said there was never a moment of doubt she’d get the job done.

“(Pena is a) good fighter, she’s wild, but I’m a master,” Shevchenko told reporters at UFC on FOX 23’s post-fight news conference. “I was sure about the victory because I had very strong training camp. I trained very hard and for this fight I was very motivated and very concentrated. I said before this fight I don’t want to think about the future. I knew I had to win this.”

Champion Nunes, who is coming of a one-sided title defense against Ronda Rousey at UFC 207 in December, was cageside for Shevchenko’s performance and met her inside the octagon after the fight. They went face-to-face and exchanged words, essentially guaranteeing a title fight between them later this year.

Shevchenko fought Nunes less than a year ago at UFC 196 in March. She lost a unanimous decision in a competitive fight in which she fell behind early but managed to rally toward the end. Shevchenko’s efforts came too late in the bout, but with five rounds in play for a title rematch, and an added confidence in the octagon, she said “The Lioness” will be tamed.

“I know it will be a totally different fight with a totally different result,” Shevchenko said. “Amanda won not because she was stronger than me, it was because maybe I gave her a little bit of a reason to take this victory. I know for sure I’ve been training hard all this time and every fight I get much stronger and much stronger. That’s why I know I will do my best to take this belt from her. (We can fight) any time. I’m ready right now.”

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 23, check out the UFC Events section of the site.