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With UFC 315 just hours away, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot received a prediction from none other than welterweight great Kamaru Usman. In a recent video uploaded to his official YouTube channel, Usman shared his thoughts on the entire card, providing predictions for each fight.
The co-main event, though, has been of particular interest. It will see Shevchenko attempt to defend her women's flyweight title for the first time since reclaiming it from Alexa Grasso after a messy trilogy. As 'The Nigerian Nightmare' sees it, Shevchenko's evolution as a fighter is impossible to discount. He said:
"Valentina has evolved a lot. She used to be just a hard-nosed, tough, counter-fighter. But now she's willing to do whatever it takes to get the win. And if that means getting to the clinch, taking you down, and just working on top, she's willing to do that."
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While he believes the matchup is an interesting one, he sees only one outcome: Shevchenko beating Fiorot. He added:
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"And it's a really good fight, I just don't think... unless Manon is able to just put the striking on her, kind of like Alexa Grasso started to do in their first fight, to where she eventually was able to get in position to get the finish. I just don't see it. I'm going with Valentina Shevchenko here to get the victory."
Check out Kamaru Usman's prediction for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (8:37):
Notably, Shevchenko has been largely flawless throughout her run at women's flyweight. Her only questionable moments were a weak performance against Taila Santos, and both her submission loss and draw against Grasso in their first and second fights, respectively.
Valentina Shevchenko has no shortage of contenders
If Valentina Shevchenko wins at UFC 315 as many expect her to, she will have several potential contenders at women's flyweight. Natália Silva, who also competes on the card, could earn a title shot against her if she manages to beat Alexa Grasso.
Meanwhile, Erin Blanchfield is coming off a good win over Rose Namajunas, and one more victory could lead to a title shot. There's also the specter of Zhang Weili, the women's strawweight champion, looming over the division. She has long sought a bout with Shevchenko, and it would be a massive WMMA fight.
