UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko expects to face Amanda Nunes a third time.
Shevchenko is currently set to defend her title against Katlyn Chookagian in the co-main event of UFC 247 on February 7. Should she come away with another victory, there is no clear-cut contender to face her next given how recently the division came to fruition.
And if “Bullet” continues to run through the competition, calls will only continue to increase for her to face two-weight champion Nunes again.
The pair have fought twice already with Nunes emerging victorious in the first fight back via unanimous decision in 2016. The second fight in 2017 — for the women’s bantamweight title — was much closer, though Nunes emerged victorious again, this time via split decision.
Although she is not thinking about a trilogy, Shevchenko does expect it to happen eventually.
“I don’t know. This year, next year, when. But as I mentioned before, I think the third fight is going to happen sometime in the future,” Shevchenko told theScore’s James Lynch. “I don’t know when. I’m not thinking about it right now because I have a lot of things to be worried about in my own weight class, flyweight.”
Shevchenko was notably incensed with the verdict in the rematch and still believes she won the second fight. Naturally, she wants to get that one back, but feels it is ultimately up to the UFC.
“Of course, after the last fight against Amanda, the result was totally wrong, totally wrong,” she said. “People want to see a third fight. I think it’s not about what I want, it’s not about what she wants, it’s behind the lights.”
Shevchenko hasn’t spoken to the UFC about a third fight with Nunes as she remains focused on her division for now. Regardless, she will be ready whenever the trilogy is announced.
“It’s going to happen somewhere, someday,” she added. “I don’t know when. And when it happens, I will be ready.”