Valentina Shevchenko has an opportunity to further etch her name in the UFC history books and join an exclusive group on Saturday night.
With a victory over Taila Santos at UFC 275, the flyweight champion would pass Ronda Rousey for the most consecutive successful title defences by a female fighter in UFC history, with seven, which would also bring her into a tie for fifth all-time with long-time featherweight ruler Jose Aldo, with only Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Jon Jones ever having earned more.
Accomplishing anything that puts you in such illustrious company should establish your standing as an all-time great competitor, but as Shevchenko readies to face Santos this weekend in Singapore, it feels like her reign is defined by questions about the skills and talents of her competition, rather than the unmatched abilities and focus “Bullet” brings to each and every fight.
In this episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast, ESK dives into Shevchenko’s greatness, her place in the pantheon of both female fighters and fighters full stop, and wonders if we’re on the brink of the 34-year-old champion taking a big step towards getting all the flowers she’s long deserved.
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