Valentina Shevchenko has only flyweight champ Nicco Montano on her mind after UFC-Belem win

Newly minted UFC women’s flyweight Valentina Shevchenko thinks she’s right where she belongs in her new weight division – or rather, her usual one.

Now, Shevchenko looks forward to fulfilling a long-held goal of capturing UFC gold.

“I was ready for this title fight even before this victory,” Shevchenko told reporters after her dominant win over Priscila Cachoeira in the co-headliner of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 125 at Mangueirinho Gymnasium in Belem, Para, Brazil. “I’ve been ready forever for the title.”

The only thing holding up Shevchenko (15-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at the moment is the schedule of inaugural UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano (4-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 26” injured her foot when she captured the belt this past December, previewing a layoff from her title duties.

Shevchenko is undeterred by the situation. She indicated she’ll wait for Montano to heal rather than take another fight.

“I’ve wanted it from the beginning to have a fight with Nicco, but I know she’s injured,” Shevchenko said. “She has to have a little time to recover. Now, I think it’s enough time. I think we’re ready to do it.”

As a bantamweight, Shevchenko felt she was limited in the number of techniques she could show off in the octagon. Facing opponents who naturally were much heavier, she stuck mostly to her striking skills while also sneaking in some grappling.

Against Cachoeira (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Shevchenko could have engaged on her feet but chose to take the fight to the ground. She dominated the action, badly damaging the undefeated Brazilian before sinking in a submission.

“She was a little bigger and taller than me, but 125 is my natural weight class,” Shevchenko said. “That’s why I have the opportunity to use more of my skills. In the clinch, it was more easy for me to throw her down, because it’s the same size opponent.”

Shevchenko’s accomplishment was accompanied by stern criticism for referee Mario Yamasaki, who let Cachoeira take an inordinate amount of punishment and missed her initial tap to a rear-naked choke in the second round. UFC President Dana White wrote on social media that Yamaski should never again be allowed to referee.

Asked what she thought of Yamasaki’s performance, Shevchenko said she was too in the moment to consider it.

“I didn’t have a chance to think about it, because I was doing my job,” she said. “I didn’t see the fight yet, but at the same time, I’m happy that I did a submission, because there’s no question from anyone.

“Sometimes, they say (the stoppage is) too early, and sometimes they say it should go a little bit more. But in this case, there’s no doubt it was 100 percent a submission.”

Shevchenko certainly left no doubt of her worthiness as the first contender to the UFC women’s flyweight title. Now, she just needs her opponent to get well.

“It’s one name on my mind right now,” Shevchenko said. “It’s Nico. I’m not thinking about anyone else.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 125, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.