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Top 10 most important UFC women’s main events

By Drake Riggs

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 15: (L-R) Ronda Rousey faces Holly Holm in their UFC women's bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 193 event at Etihad Stadium on November 15, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 15: (L-R) Ronda Rousey faces Holly Holm in their UFC women's bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 193 event at Etihad Stadium on November 15, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – JULY 23: (L-R) Holly Holm and Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan touch gloves prior to their women’s bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at the United Center on July 23, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 23: (L-R) Holly Holm and Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan touch gloves prior to their women’s bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at the United Center on July 23, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) /

8. Holly Holm vs Valentina Shevchenko – UFC on Fox 20, 2016

Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko was a virtual unknown prior to her short notice debut in the UFC. A multiple time Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, the Kyrgyzstan born Peru native, Shevchenko went 56-2 in kickboxing and 11-1 in MMA before finally making it to the big show in 2015.

In her UFC debut, she would take on one of the most underrated female fighters of all time, the former Strikeforce bantamweight champion and current Invicta FC champion, Sarah Kaufman.

The fight wasn’t one that left spectators in awe but it definitely showed that Shevchenko was one to keep an eye on as she showed a well-rounded game, capturing the first two rounds and earning herself a split decision upset victory.

The win immediately placed Shevchenko into the 135 pound top 10 and it was only up from here for the Bullet.

What would come next was thought to be a bit too soon for the newcomer, Shevchenko but she wasn’t one to say no to a challenge. The UFC matched her with her future rival, Amanda Nunes who was red-hot and ready to keep proving that she deserved a title shot.

Nunes would do just that as she clearly out-pointed Shevchenko in the first two rounds before tiring in the third and giving her opponent a glimmer of hope to come out on top. But Shevchenko couldn’t capitalize within the final five minutes and Nunes would get the unanimous decision win.

After her first loss in five fights, Shevchenko was then given the main event slot against the recent champion,  Holm. This came as a big surprise to many and a decision that was looked at as one to get Holm back in the win column after dropping her title. This of course…was not how things would play out.

Instead, the former UFC champion would be on the receiving end of their technical chess match.

Shevchenko faced early adversity after being dropped by Holm but came back very strong in the second as she was able to take Holm down and control her before getting comfortable on the feet and sniping Holm with a left hook just about every single time Holm attacked.

From a technical and timing standpoint, the fight was beautiful to watch and it was the fight that really put Shevchenko on the map as a truly elite fighter.

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