News Okamoto: A Shevchenko-Zhang fight is a better option than Shevchenko vs. Nunes 3?

[Geniusss]

Brett Okamoto: I'm gonna disagree -- because of timing. Shevchenko vs. Zhang is obviously a great fight, and stylistically, it probably does interest me a little more than a Shevchenko vs. Nunes trilogy. But the timing is all off here. Zhang has challenges. Rose Namajunas. Joanna Jedrzejczyk rematch. Yan Xiaonan. Tatiana Suarez (hopefully, if she's able to get healthy). Strawweight is deep. There's no reason for her to move up right now. Compare that to what's left for Nunes.

Nunes has laid waste to pretty much every interesting challenger at 135 and 145 pounds. Plus, Nunes has hinted she might not fight for too much longer. She has flirted with the idea of retirement -- on multiple occasions. If we were to never see Shevchenko fight Nunes again, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but personally, I do want to see that fight. Badly.

I think Nunes has a firm grip on female GOAT status, but I also thought Shevchenko beat her in the rematch. And if Shevchenko were to beat her in the trilogy, and then return to 125 and possibly a superfight against Zhang ... we might be calling her the GOAT when it's all said and done. Give me that GOAT fight. Then give me the Zhang superfight if she's still the champ.

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...best-superfight-opponent-valentina-shevchenko

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Val can't ever lay claim to the title of GOAT unless she beats all those women Nunes already beat. Val beat Holly if I'm not mistaken. But none of the other women Nunes has beat. And it's 2-0 in head up competition. I realize many of you love Val, but Nunes is way better imo, and a trilogy would prove it.

 

[Eater of Souls]

Still a lot of fights for Zhang at 115 which will give 125 more time to develop as a division. Shevchenko can fight Andrade and both champs can actually work on cleaning out their respective divisions. Yeah, right now Val is head and shoulders above the rest of her division, but it is the most heavily populated and we still have people moving up from 115 and down from 135 to further fill it out. The division will catch up just like 135 did to Ronda and 115 to JJ.

 

[SwagJuice]

Shevchenko vs Nunes is a must.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Women's MMA is way too young to be calling anyone "GOAT". It's not even clear Nunes is obviously #1.

Rousey became the clear #1 at 135 when she beat Miesha Tate in Strikeforce. She defended her Strikeforce/UFC belt a combined 7 times, all by finish, and has a total of 8 title fight wins. She was consensus #1 at 135 from 2012 - 2015.

Nunes only has six title defences to her credit. (Though she's won a total of 8 UFC title fights.) Her title defence over Shevchenko was controversial. She has only been #1 from 2016-2020.

Cyborg became the consensus #1 at 145 in 2009 when she beat Carano. She defended that #1 ranking 13 times until losing to Nunes in 2018.

 

[DS66]

Women's MMA is way too young to be calling anyone "GOAT". It's not even clear Nunes is obviously #1.

Rousey became the clear #1 at 135 when she beat Miesha Tate in Strikeforce. She defended her Strikeforce/UFC belt a combined 7 times, all by finish, and has a total of 8 title fight wins. She was consensus #1 at 135 from 2012 - 2015.

Nunes only has six title defences to her credit. (Though she's won a total of 8 UFC title fights.) Her title defence over Shevchenko was controversial. She has only been #1 from 2016-2020.

Cyborg became the consensus #1 at 145 in 2009 when she beat Carano. She defended that #1 ranking 13 times until losing to Nunes in 2018.

Fair points. But the fact that Nunes beat both Ronda and Cyborg has to bear some consideration. She's beat literally every other great female fighter in her era (Ronda, Cyborg, Holly, Valentina, GDR), while the same just can't be said for Ronda and Cyborg.

 

[ninja boot]

Zhang still has work to do in her division. Valentina and Nunes makes sense because nobody is left to offer a challenge.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Zhang has challengers in her own division

Nunes and Shevchenko have basically cleaned out their divisions. Shev is arguably 1-1 and at the very least negated Nunes who IMO won via being much bigger.

 

[mirko>anyone]

Amanda doesn’t really need to fight Shevchenko again. Second fight was close, but she has 2 wins over her.

 

[mirko>anyone]

Fair points. But the fact that Nunes beat both Ronda and Cyborg has to bear some consideration. She's beat literally every other great female fighter in her era (Ronda, Cyborg, Holly, Valentina, GDR), while the same just can't be said for Ronda and Cyborg.

It bears a lot of consideration. Cyborg’s resume isn’t even in the same ballpark as Nunes even though she may have been #1 longer. Add that to the fact that Amanda swiftly knocked her the fuck out and it’s safe to say Amanda is the best female thus far.

 

[GaryEric]

also who cares what Okahomo thinks

 

[Post 2 Decision]

It's too bad for Val that she's smaller than Nunes, because she is the better fighter

I still remember Nunes getting pounded out by Alexis Davis

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Val is 0-2 against Nunes. Rivalry is over

Weili is a new challenge

 

[Kwic]

Oka-The-Schill-moto.

 

[EndlessCritic]

Fair points. But the fact that Nunes beat both Ronda and Cyborg has to bear some consideration. She's beat literally every other great female fighter in her era (Ronda, Cyborg, Holly, Valentina, GDR), while the same just can't be said for Ronda and Cyborg.

Nunes gassed out and got finished by Alexis Davis and Cat Zingano -- two fighters Rousey beat afterwards.

 

[Kryptt]

Hope Zang stays and does more work at 115 before moving up to challenge Val. It's the match I prefer, just not quite yet. Well I would take Nunes vs Shev III it's not a priority (note I thought Val took the 2nd match but also should have been more active to solidify the W). Let the divisions continue a bit and newer challenges will hopefully arise.

 

[DS7]

It bears a lot of consideration. Cyborg’s resume isn’t even in the same ballpark as Nunes even though she may have been #1 longer. Add that to the fact that Amanda swiftly knocked her the fuck out and it’s safe to say Amanda is the best female thus far.

i agree that calling someone the "GOAT" in WMMA isn't nearly as relevant as the mens for example because of how young their divisions are. But that being said Nunes is clearly the best WMMA fighter ever, purely on skill alone. And the greatest too especially after what she did to Cyborg.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Val can't ever lay claim to the title of GOAT unless she beats all those women Nunes already beat. Val beat Holly if I'm not mistaken. But none of the other women Nunes has beat. And it's 2-0 in head up competition. I realize many of you love Val, but Nunes is way better imo, and a trilogy would prove it.

They're in different divisions and Valentina is the smaller fighter. Makes zero sense.

Valentina has proven she is Nunes' toughest opponent and the second fight could have gone either way. A third fight would be good before they retire.

 

[fortheo]

Every one is in here saying pretty much the same think okamoto said.

 

[Satan's Daddy.]

Nunez and zhang is bigger than all them fights Brett mentioned.