Valentina Shevchenko locks up bantamweight title shot with submission of Julianna Pena

DENVER – The UFC bantamweight title fight is set: Valentina Shevchenko secured her shot against titleholder Amanda Nunes with a second-round armbar submission Saturday night of Julianna Pena at UFC on FOX 23 at Pepsi Center.

All that’s left to be decided is when and where the championship showdown takes place.

Shevchenko-Pena had the crowd on its feet, but the bout didn’t turn out as most had expected. It was commonly believed that Shevchenko (14-2), a solid striker, would dominate the action on her feet. But she controlled this fight on the ground, where Pena was predicted to have the edge.

Shevchenko, a former Muay Thai champion, had not submitted an opponent in 11 years. But she surprised Pena (8-3) in the first round, nearly submitting her via an armbar. Pena survived that attempt as the round ended.

Pena had no such luck in the second. Shevchenko continued to dominate on the ground before finishing the contest at 4:29.

Things got interesting when Nunes entered the cage after the fight, where she and Shevchenko exchanged insults. The two are not strangers. Nunes handed Shevchenko her second pro loss in May 2016 at UFC 196.

“Next time I will finish you,” Nunes said. “You know I’ll beat you. I know how to beat you.”

Shevchenko responded: “Be very careful with your words, they will come back to [haunt] you.”