Henry Cejudo explains why he would pick Valentina Shevchenko to win potential trilogy fight with Amanda Nunes

By Cole Shelton - August 5, 2022

Henry Cejudo believes Valentina Shevchenko will defeat Amanda Nunes if they have a trilogy match.

Amanda-Nunes-Valentina-Shevchenko

Nunes and Shevchenko met back at UFC 196 with the Brazilian winning a decision, in just a three-round fight. After Nunes became the champ, they had their rematch at UFC 215 for the belt and once again Nunes won the fight, but this time it was by split decision.

Although Nunes is up 2-0 in the series, if they have the trilogy, Cejudo says he will be picking Shevchenko to win.

“For the third fight, I’m actually going to go Valentina Shevchenko,” Cejudo said on “The Triple C & Schmo Show” (h/t MMAJunkie). “(I pick her) just for the simple fact that Valentina has gotten a lot better and she’s the younger fighter, I believe, and she’s a smaller fighter. Going up is actually better than coming down because if you’re struggling to make 135 pounds, going up she’s going to feel really good.”

Why Henry Cejudo thinks Valentina Shevchenko wins is due to the fact he doesn’t think Amanda Nunes is taking fighting as seriously. He believes with Nunes having a kid that takes time away from the gym while Shevchenko is only focused on fighting which is why she will win the trilogy.

“Knowing Valentina, she’s all about fighting,” Cejudo said about Shevchenko-Nunes. “She’s on a quest to do some amazing things. I don’t think she’s married or in a relationship. She’s literally married to the game, and that also makes somebody extremely dangerous. Amanda now has a kid, a wife, and I’m not saying that stuff holds you down – but time is given. Especially me now as a father, it’s like recovery time, or I’ve got to get home, X, Y and Z.  I think this is the time to make (the trilogy) because they’re both kind of getting up there in age, too. So if they’re going to make it, I say they make it within the next six months and let the people know who is the pound-for-pound queen.”

Do you agree with Henry Cejudo that Valentina Shevchenko will beat Amanda Nunes in the trilogy?


Topics:

Amanda Nunes Henry Cejudo UFC Valentina Shevchenko