Shevchenko believes she'll finish Eye at UFC 238
Valentina Shevchenko wants to end things early for a change.
The UFC flyweight champion will defend her title for the first time on June 8 against Jessica Eye in the co-main event at UFC 238 in Chicago.
Having gone the distance in five of her seven UFC fights, Shevchenko is aiming to stop her opponent and send a message to the rest of the division. Eye has never lost via stoppage in the UFC, but Shevchenko believes she's the one to end the streak.
"I fought so many different opponents. Everybody was saying it’s difficult to finish Juliana Pena, you never know what’s going to happen. I’m here for this, to make (a finish) happen," Shevchenko told theScore.
The event will mark exactly six months since Shevchenko's last fight. Taking time off can be frustrating for many fighters, but for the Kyrgyzstan-born champion, it was a blessing in disguise.
"I was ready immediately to get back (fighting) but I think Jessica had some injuries (from her) previous fight," Shevchenko said. "Then everything changed, we had all this travel coming up to Thailand, Kirguistan, and Russia. It was good timing to have this fight in June."
Shevchenko (16-3) captured the vacant flyweight title after defeating former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231 in December. The 31-year-old is spending part of her training camp in Las Vegas alongside her sister, Antonina, who recently suffered her first loss in the Octagon to Roxanne Modafferi. Despite the setback, the "Panther" resumed training immediately and is a key element in her sister’s preparation for the fight.
"No time off (for her). She, as usual, is training with me as well," Shevchenko said. "She's ready to get back to the Octagon and get another fight. (Anything) can happen inside the Octagon. If anything, it's making us stronger. She wants another fight as soon as possible."
UFC 238 takes place June 8 at the United Center in Chicago. The vacant bantamweight title is up for grabs in the main event as flyweight champion Henry Cejudo faces Marlon Moraes.
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