'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ONE Championship might have the answer to the labyrinthine puzzle that is Valentina 'Bullet' Shevchenko. The dominant UFC flyweight queen has utterly decimated her weight class without much resistance from her opponents.
The Kyrgyzstani champion's precision and mastery of distance are unmatched in the flyweight ranks of the UFC. When the fight gets to the ground, the former kickboxing champion out-grapples even the most seasoned of ground specialists.
Since her near-assassination of Lauren Murphy, Shevchenko has either stopped or dominated 4 of the top 5 women in her weight division. Simply put, there's nothing left to do for the champion other than to move back up to bantamweight. In that weight class, Shevchenko can rematch her rival and fellow MMA great Amanda 'The Lioness' Nunes for the title.
If the quadri-lingual champion doesn't move up in weight, the resounding question now is, who's next? Enter ONE Championship. The Singapore-based promotion houses 115-pound and 125-pound female weight classes and there are plenty of challenges present for the UFC queen.
It's often said in the fight business that 'styles make fights'. The stylistic diversity present on ONE Championship's roster poses interesting match-ups for Shevchenko. That being said, we've listed down five potential ONE Championship match-ups for the UFC flyweight champ.
#5. ONE Championship atomweight kickboxing champion Janet 'JT' Todd
What separates ONE Championship from other organizations is that it doesn't just feature MMA. With the inception of ONE Super Series, ONE Championship now features the best in kickboxing and Muay Thai around the world.
If Shevchenko decides to go back to her kickboxing roots, there's no better match for her than ONE Championship kickboxing queen Janet 'JT' Todd. The American's stance, speed, and technical precision is highly similar to Shevchenko's.
We haven't seen 'Bullet' compete in kickboxing or Muay Thai in a while. It would be interesting to see her fight again in the sport that kicked off her martial arts journey.
Against Todd, Shevchenko has to be ready for the ONE Champion's crazy kicking range. Todd can deliver kicks to the legs, body, and head from any distance she chooses. The American's ability to land a head kick from close range makes her a very unpredictable puzzle to solve.
Check out Todd's knockout reel in this video:
#4. ONE Championship atomweight champ and strawweight contender Angela 'Unstoppable' Lee
ONE Championship atomweight champion and former strawweight contender Angela 'Unstoppable' Lee is often considered the best female fighter outside the UFC. Lee has been true to her nickname in her campaign to dominate her throne. No 115-pound female fighter has been able to figure out how to stop Lee's relentless grappling barrage.
Though Lee's foray into 125 lbs has been unsuccessful, there's still time for the star to properly get used to the weight division. The American-Canadian's fights with striker Xiong Jing Nan at 125 pounds were as razor close as any fight could get. A grappling savant, Lee's penchant for wild scrambles and sneaky submission attacks was problematic for the heavier Xiong.
If ever Shevchenko fights Lee, it's in the UFC champion's best interest to avoid the ground. Lee has an often chaotic Brazilian jiu-jitsu game where it's hard to get a read of her next move. The highly calculated Shevchenko might have a hard time as Lee loves catching her opponents with submissions during transitions.
#3. ONE Championship atomweight wrestling machine Ritu 'The Indian Tigress' Phogat
Speaking of grapplers, ONE Championship atomweight Ritu 'The Indian Tigress' Phogat, who fights on December 3 at ONE: Winter Warriors, is as high-level as they come. If the Indian wrestling prodigy bulked up and fought at 125 lbs, she would be a huge problem for Shevchenko. Phogat's relentless chain wrestling and otherworldly top game are akin to those of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
The UFC flyweight champ has to be as agile as ever if she is to prevent Phogat from catching her. The Commonwealth Wrestling gold medalist has one of the toughest chins in ONE Championship and uses it to her advantage.
Phogat would gladly eat a punch so she could get close enough to ragdoll her opponents. We've seen Shevchenko put on her back by Jennifer Maia and control her there for a significant period. If 'The Indian Tigress' can do the same, it would be a long night for the dominant UFC champion.
#2. ONE Championship Muay Thai phenom and MMA star Stamp Fairtex
A fight between ONE Championship atomweight star Stamp Fairtex and UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko would be incredible to watch. Both hail from two of the most well-known Muay Thai gyms in the world in Tiger Muay Thai and Fairtex Gym. Both are highly-decorated kickboxers who successfully translated their skills to MMA. With the added mainstream star power of 'Bullet' plus the charismatic flamboyance of Stamp, this fight can easily headline any event.
From a technical standpoint, this striker vs. striker match would be a stand-up war like we've never seen. Stamp, who has also fought at 125 pounds, is a classic Muay Thai practitioner. She throws kicks with power and very little wind-up, similar to the UFC champ. The Rayong native's lengthy experience in Muay Thai also gives her technical familiarity with Shevchenko's kickboxing-centered attacks. It's almost as if the two were made to face each other. It's eerie.
Watch Stamp Fairtex's highlight reel below:
If the fight goes to the ground, Stamp could hold her own against seasoned submission specialists like Alyona Rassohyna. The exuberant Thai refuses to give up positions easily as she always looks to either escape or get a sweep. If Shevchenko faces Stamp at 125 pounds, it will be a difficult evening for the 17-time world champion.
#1. ONE Championship's dominant strawweight champion Xiong Jing Nan
ONE Championship strawweight champ 'The Panda Bear' Xiong Jing Nan is the best fighter to match Valentina Shevchenko at 125 lbs. Despite her monicker, there's nothing cute about Xiong's devastating skills in the cage. Her lethal boxer/brawler style and innate power has bewildered even the most experienced fighters around.
Against her rival Nunes, Shevchenko had a hard time fending off the power of the much larger Brazilian. She had a hard time getting her striking rhythm as a result.
Xiong is a powerhouse when she's allowed to push forward. Her stoppage of ONE Championship atomweight queen Angela Lee is evidence of Xiong's unbelievable KO power. On the ground, the Chinese BJJ open champion exemplified resilience and toughness rarely seen even in champions.
If ever Shevchenko jumps over to ONE Championship, she should go straight towards Xiong. This massive clash will show who truly is the best 125-pound female fighter in the world.
