A Possible New Target Might Be The Way To Go
Tomorrow morning when Dana White and his team meet, lots of decisions will have to be made. The official disbanding of the female featherweight division will be the easy one for them to make. The other one has a possible new target for one of the most dangerous snipers in all of MMA.
When White made the choice to add a 145-pound division, he did so kicking and screaming. It was his move to bring Cristiane Justino in. While both parties did benefit from the merger, it was the human version of why “oil and vinegar don’t mix”. And the only reason White agreed to continue it this long is because the strap was around the waist of Amanda Nunes. And it helped her gain a few more shekels being booked as a double-champ.
That’s not to say she wasn’t worthy, she was. However; ballooning up 135ers wasn’t a great gameplan. Female featherweight is a division that not only is above average in Bellator, PFL, INVICTA, and other organizations, but it’s a healthy choice for the women.
Now for the harder decision. What to do with bantamweight. They can slap the vacant title to any of the upcoming fights since all of the top ranked fighters are booked to face each other. But there was almost immediately the call for the title fight to be between Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington from fans and media alike. And stylistically it’s a fun fight. Plus it could be thrown on any pay-per-view as a co-main event. And not a soul should be shocked that if Tuesday afternoon, it’s announced.
But moving forward, is there a spark to peak interest.
A Possible New target For Shevchenko?
There’s no doubt since the shocking split-decision loss to Nunes in their second-fight that Valentina Shevchenko wanted the trilogy. The fight was as close down the middle as possible. “Bullet” had improved from their first-fight, and was becoming the technical sniper she is now.
But the multi-sport multi-champion is now 35. And the youth movement at flyweight might have just caught up with her a bit too much. Alexa Grasso ending her title defense reign at seven has laid a blueprint. True it was only her first loss at flyweight, but timing as they say is everything. Biting on her heels is the underrated power in the division: Manon Fiorot.
Say what you will about White, he’s never asked a fighter to change divisions. He may this time. There’s a bit more age overall at bantamweight, which would help Shevchenko. And what better to replace one icon with another. If they decide to do Pena versus Pennington for the belt, it could easily be “Bullet’s” first fight back at 135 (having gone 3-2 before the 125-division opened).
She’s the most technically sound fighter in the UFC. And like some others she’ll want time making the move correctly. Which would set up a heck of a card for say Madison Square Garden in November. The only problem there is would they wait five-months to crown a new champion? Doubtful.
However, Shevchenko is a better fighter now than last time at 135. Her power, albeit not devastating should transfer up. Her foot movement would absolutely be there. She can out-point you from distance, or take you out in the abyss of a ground game. And the new matchups would be interesting. We’ve now seen Irene Aldana freeze in the spotlight, would it happen again? There’s a Holly Holm fight between two legends. Things got chippy, but she has a win over Pena already.
So would, White pull the “trigger” and send this “Bullet” to a possible new target? Likely.
When you want to read new sports news, head to: Belly Up Sports. To head to the world of CYCLONE, click on: Facebook.
