UFC 231: Shevchenko dominates Jedrzejczyk to win women’s flyweight title

Valentina Shevchenko earned a dominant points victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the women’s flyweight title at UFC 231 in Canada, continuing her winning streak over the Pole in the pair’s decade-long rivalry.

Shevchenko was the unanimous winner on the scorecards as she looked the bigger threat throughout the five rounds, scoring several big takedowns and threatening with right and left hands despite Jedrzejczyk looking busy.   

The pair were familiar foes heading into the bout at Scotiabank Arena, having faced each other three times in Muay Thai competition – with ‘Bullet’ winning on each occasion.

The Kyrgyzstani-born fighter looked like continuing that streak from the first round, scoring the first takedown of the night.

The Pole bounced and weaved as she looked the busier of the two, but missed with a huge attempted right hand in the second as Shevchenko appeared content to bide her time for an opening.

Shevchenko secured big successive takedowns towards the end of the second round, pounding away at Jedrzejczyk who did well to stifle the attack and see out the bell.  

© Reuters / Tom Szczerbowski

Shevchenko threatened with kicks at the start of the third, and while Jedrzejczyk continued to look busy she was largely ineffective.

The Kyrgyzstani-born fighter continued to stalk her opponent and again landed knee and elbow shots toward the end of the third as Jedrzejczyk looked vulnerable to the takedown.

The fourth round continued with the Polish fighter desperately seeking an opening but Shevchenko again took the action to the ground before sapping the energy from her opponent against the cage.

The Pole headed into the final frame down on the scorecards and needing to finish her opponent, and started by flipping out kicks that Shevchenko parried, before again locking up Jedrzejczyk against the cage.   

Both fighters continued to work their kicks although Shevchenko mixed in right and left hands as she closed out the fight.    

As the fight went to the cards Shevchenko, 30, emerged as the deserved winner to claim the 125lbs title.      

The victory moved Shevchenko to 16-3 overall and 5-2 in the UFC, while ex-strawweight champ Jedrzejczyk slipped to 15-3 overall and 9-3 in the UFC.