UFC 215 was just not Valentina Shevchenko’s night. In the main event, the bantamweight title challenger took a reserved approach that saw her often fighting with her back to the cage, countering attacks by champion Amanda Nunes. The crowd in attendance voiced their displeasure. Many were waiting for something explosive to happen, but ultimately, that never came. Shevchenko eventually lost a close split decision that easily could have gone her way.
While far from the robbery of the year, one thing is clear: Shevchenko does not agree with the decision. She said as much, repeatedly, at Saturday’s UFC 215 post-fight press conference.
“I respect the decision of the judges, but I don’t agree with the decision at all” she told the assembled media. “I think in this fight, three rounds, it was mine, points, I won these three rounds. In the final, fifth round, only one takedown, and she didn’t do nothing. Just one takedown.”
“Even when I was [on] the ground, I was landing more punches” she added.
This with a finger Shevchenko says she dislocated in the very first round. Still, it wasn’t the finger that bothered her, but the outcome as the judges saw it. “First round it was pretty close, second third and fourth it was mine. In fifth, all the round it was mine, just one takedown” she said in regards to which rounds she felt she had won. “I think about this takedown”, judges, they give it to the other side. Even this takedown, it was only controlled position, I was landing more punches being on the ground.”
“You can see on her face and my face who landed more punches” she would later say, adding again that “I totally disagree” with the decision.
“I respect decision of judge, but I think it’s my fight.”
Yet despite what she feels in an injustice, Valentina Shevchenko is not ready to condemn MMA judging as a whole. “It’s difficult to say in general. I think it’s pretty good and everything, but if you speak about my fight, I think three of five rounds, I won exactly.”
Anomaly or not, would she consider an appeal of her split decision loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 215? “If I can, I will.”
