Valentina Shevchenko Names Her Sole Condition For A Nunes Trilogy
UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko only wants an Amanda Nunes trilogy if the latter is back to her best.
The potential for a third showdown was ignited by Nunes following Shevchenko’s title defense at UFC 322 where she defeated Weili Zhang. Nunes claimed she would come out of retirement and first defeat Kayla Harrison for the bantamweight title and then drop down to the flyweight division to challenge Shevchenko and secure a third belt. Nunes previously defeated Shevchenko twice at bantamweight, with the 2017 rematch being a controversial split decision.
Shevchenko has voiced skepticism over whether Nunes could successfully make the flyweight limit. The flyweight champion also revealed that the only thing that would make her reject a third fight is if Nunes returns to the Octagon as a diminished version of herself. Nunes’ last fight was a win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in 2023 to retain her bantamweight belt after which she retired.
“When it comes to Amanda Nunes, it will depend on what shape she returns to the octagon in. If she returns in 50 percent shape, I don’t want that fight. I don’t want to fight a fighter who is not at their best. “I want to fight someone when they are at their best,” Shevchenko said
Will It Happen?
The prospect of a trilogy bout is realistic from a commercial standpoint. Commercially, this fight is perhaps the biggest women’s mixed martial arts contest available. The disputed second fight provides the perfect narrative for a third bout, guaranteeing massive fan interest and pay-per-view buys for the UFC. The potential for Nunes to achieve an unprecedented “triple-champ” status by capturing a title in a third division further elevates the stakes.
However, the major obstacles to this dream fight are the flyweight weight cut. Nunes has never competed at the Flyweight limit of 125 pounds, and achieving that weight cut successfully is a major risk. Nunes would also first need to sign the paperwork to come out of retirement, successfully re-enter the USADA/drug-testing pool, and likely pass a test run at bantamweight against a top contender like Kayla Harrison.
Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.
