Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko engage in heated war of words inside the Octagon
Just seconds after Valentina Shevchenko submitted Julianna Pena to cement her position as the No. 1 contender in the women's bantamweight division, she found herself face to face with champion Amanda Nunes.
Shevchenko fell to Nunes after a back-and-forth three-round battle last year, which accounts for her only loss in the UFC.
Now after back-to-back wins over former champion Holly Holm and now Pena on Saturday night, Shevchenko is staring at a rematch with Nunes but this time with the title on the line.
Following her second-round submission win, Shevchenko was confronted in the cage by Nunes, who was sitting cageside for the fights in Denver.
"I'm pretty sure the next fight will be title shot and I’m very excited to take the rematch and take this belt," Shevchenko said to Nunes.
Nunes, who has embraced the spotlight over the past few weeks following her blistering 48-second knockout over Ronda Rousey, countered by promising to do even more damage to Shevchenko in the rematch.
"You're not going to do it. We're going to do it again and then I'm going to finish you and I'm going to prove that," Nunes said.
"I'm the champion because I say I'm the champion and I will prove I know how to beat you. I will do it."
Even before the fight with Pena on Saturday night, Shevchenko was targeting Nunes and the title as her next mission and now it appears she will get her opportunity.
"Let's do it one more time," Shevchenko said to Nunes. "Every time I said, be careful with your words because every time it will come back to you."
The showdown between Nunes and Shevchenko will definitely be one of the most anticipated bouts of the year, especially considering each of their respective performances since meeting for the first time in 2015.
