UFC: Valentina Shevchenko vs Liz Carmouche records third lowest significant strike count in UFC title fights

UFC on ESPN+ 14 card in Montevideo, Uruguay, featured a women’s flyweight title fight as dominant champ Valentina ‘The Bullet’ Shevchenko (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) took on former bantamweight title challenger Liz Carmouche (13-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC).

Shevchenko was coming off a brutal head kick knockout victory over veteran Jessica Eye in her last fight just two months ago in June. The fans therefore expected the same this time around as well. However, that was not the case as challenger and heavy underdog Carmouche showed great strategy and was able to go full 25 minutes.

The fight showcased high level MMA techniques however lacked on the entertainment side of things, especially for an average fan. Even though champ Shevchenko continued her dominant reign, the fight went on the record books for something she wouldn’t have wished for. The fight combined for 60 significant strikes landed, the third fewest in a modern-era UFC title fight that went all five rounds. Only Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (41) and Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott (52) had less.

To their defense, Shevchenko being an elite Muay Thai practioner, had her game based on counter striking but Carmouche didn’t lead the dance as she wanted to tire Shevchenko first before using her grappling credentials. More or less then fight ticked all the boxes on the technical side of things.