The co-main event at UFC 275 concluded with Valentina Shevchenko once again proving why she’s the best in her class, as the reigning UFC Women’s Flyweight champion retained her title for the seventh time against Talia Santos with a hard-fought victory.
However, what many did NOT expect was the absence of the Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian fighter’s ceremonial victory dance after her win and after the fight, Shevchenko cleared the air and revealed that it was a foot injury that prevented her from doing the signature dance.
In the clash against Santos at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Shevchenko looked a little less than her well-known dominating persona, and it was the Brazilian who performed better on the ground in the first few rounds.
However, after Santos had her right eye swell up from a head collision, Shevchenko quickly jumped on the opportunity and opened up with her barrage of strikes as well as a takedown and was declared the winner via split decision.
Coming into the fight, I was injured: Valentina Shevchenko
While much of the credit goes to Santos for going shoulder to shoulder against “Bullet”, the Flyweight champ revealed after the fight that she fought while having an injury in her foot, which is also the reason why there was no post-victory dance.
“Yes, I was ready to do that, but coming into the fight, I was injured,” Shevchenko revealed, “My foot was injured. In all week (during fight week), UFC Performance Institute, physical therapists, they was working on my foot to get it back into the best shape. And few kicks that I had (were) super strong.”
“And it’s injured, my foot. That’s why I was willing to dance, but I don’t know. We still have to do X-ray. I hope it’s nothing serious that could delay my return to the Octagon. But this is the reason why I didn’t dance,” she added. [H/T MMANews.com]
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