UFC on FOX Chicago ‘Holm vs. Shevchenko’ main event preview

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (10-1) could’ve easily waited for the big money rematch with Ronda Rousey before defending her title against Miesha Tate earlier this year at UFC 196. Instead, Holm would do what she’s always done during her 14-year pro combat sports career – she’d stay busy and take the next challenge put in front of her. And she’d handle her business well, taking 3 of the first 4 rounds before being put to sleep by her opponent in the 5th and final round of her unsuccessful first UFC title defense.

Tomorrow night in Chicago, Holm will face a dangerous K-1 and Muay Thai champion, who has come to the UFC to become nothing less than a champion.

Russian kickboxing extraordinaire Valentina Shevchenko (12-2) immediately proved that she was more than worthy of her spot on the UFC women’s bantamweight roster by defeating former Strikeforce champion and UFC #1 contender Sarah Kaufman via split decision in her promotional debut last December on the preliminary portion of UFC on FOX 17. Now, just over 7 months later, Shevchenko will headline UFC on FOX 20 against a former champ in Holm who made huge waves last November with her career defining KO of 6x defending UFC champ Ronda Rousey.

Shevchenko’s UD loss to current UFC women’s bantamweight champ, Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes, in her last outing at UFC 196 only gives her more traction in hindsight following Nunes’ quick destruction of Miesha Tate in the main event of UFC 200.

Holm versus Shevchenko is a fight that holds monster implications for the future of the UFC women’s bantamweight division. A win for either fighter could earn them nothing less than a title shot against Nunes or an even higher profile fight against Ronda Rousey should she decide to return to the Octagon later this year. Make no mistake about it – Holm versus Shevchenko is must see TV.

Holm vs. Shevchenko headlines the main card portion of UFC on FOX 20 in Chicago tonight which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on FOX