Liz Carmouche will have another opportunity to become a UFC champion when she challenges Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title in August.
Liz Carmouche is getting a second shot at gold in the UFC. On Tuesday, ESPN was first to report the Carmouche will face women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko at UFC Uruguay in August. The fight is expected to air on streaming service EPSN+ in the U.S.
Carmouche (13-6) was scheduled to face Roxanne Modafferi in July at UFC San Antonio. However, with the UFC heading to Uruguay for the first time, and in need of a main event, the decision was made to pull Carmouche from the bout. A replacement is reportedly being sought for Modafferi.
For the ‘Girl-Rilla,’ 35, it’s her second chance to win a UFC title. The first came in 2013, in the inaugural women’s fight in the UFC. Carmouche lost to Ronda Rousey that night at UFC 157. She’d then struggle to find her footing at bantamweight, losing two of her next three fights. However, since moving to 125lbs in 2017, she is 2-1.
Notably, Carmouche holds a win over Valentina Shevchenko from earlier in their careers. That came all the way back in 2010 on the regional scene, and ended due to a doctor’s stoppage.
The rematch storyline will likely play big when Shevchenko (17-3) meets Carmouche in Uruguay. The champ is coming off a big head kick knockout of Jessica Eye at UFC 238 earlier this month. That marked her third straight win since dropping to flyweight.
Throughout her pro career, Shevchenko has lost to just two fighters: Carmouche, and twice to bantamweight and featherweight champ Amanda Nunes, at 135lbs.
UFC Uruguay (UFC Fight Night 156) goes down August 10 at the Antel Arena in Montevideo, Uruguay.
