#spch.spch.s2tb-h .spchc {\n background: #fff;\n box-sizing: border-box;\n box-shadow: 0 2px 6px rgb(0 0 0 / 20%);\n height: auto;\n margin: 0;\n min-width: 100%;\n overflow: hidden;\n padding: 24px 115px;\n }\n#spch.spch.s2tb .spchc .inner-container #spch.spch.s2tb-h .spchc .inner-container {\n opacity: 1;\n transition: opacity 0.318s ease-in;\n }\n#spch.spch.s2tb .spchc .inner-container .text-container Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers and we'll use the official tallies that are registered by Friday at noon ET (9 a.m Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release ahead of UFC 315 (pay-per-view which takes place Saturday at Bell Centre in Montreal Jack Della Maddalena – for welterweight title Manon Fiorot – for women's flyweight title This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 315: Make picks for Muhammad-Della Maddalena, Shevchenko-Fiorot In today's edition: Knicks stun Celtics The Celtics' shooting woes reached record-setting numbers Monday according to a Monday update to a GoFundMe page raising money for his recovery Who wins Thunder-Nuggets and Wolves-Warriors 1 seed in the East and the second-best record in franchise history with the same core that won 48 games the previous season Following San Diego's weekend sweep of the Pirates the hosts of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast" took a look at the Padres' strengths and weaknesses The Baltimore Ravens announced on Monday that they are releasing kicker Justin Tucker Patriots fans know how much Julian Edelman meant to the team during its dynasty Some teams still have big questions to answer before training camp starts The Mets have lost their 34th game of the season for 16 consecutive years now The top-ranked golfer in the world held a 10-shot lead briefly on Sunday while wrapping up a dominant week in Texas But what hasn't been decided is who advances to stay alive in the race for the NBA championship The Stars earned a 4-2 win to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs after scoring four third period goals He has now lost a Game 7 with four different teams A GoFundMe for Kavan Markwood has already raised more than $28,000 The D-backs ace is also on pace for career worsts in both strikeout rate and walk rate Shevchenko (24–4–1) won back the women's 125-pound championship in her last outing becoming a two-time titleholder. She dominated former champion Alexa Grasso UFC 315 will be her first title defense of her second championship reign.  She brings with her a 12-fight winning streak "The Beast" hasn't lost a fight since her professional debut in 2018 and have covered mixed martial arts for 23 years.  is confident that UFC Des Moines loss will fuel the fighter to take things to the next level Video: UFC 315 'Countdown' for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon FiorotMMA JunkieDid you miss the debut of UFC 315 "Countdown" or just want to watch it again? Check out the main event preview now. The segment takes a special look at the women's flyweight title fight between champion Valentina Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) and challenger Manon Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC). UFC 315 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Bell Centre in Montreal. "Countdown" goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don't miss the entire episode in the video below. Canada this on May 10 for a pay-per-view event with two titles on the top of the billing two-time flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko returns to defend her title for the first time since she regained it at Noche UFC last year The long-time champion hit a brief hiccup when she ran into Alexa Grasso and an unlucky judges' decision but showed true championship skills by getting the title back last September Manon Fiorot will stand across the cage from Shevchenko when she fights for the title for the first time in her UFC career DAZN News has everything you need to know ahead of Valentina Shevchenko vs Manon Fiorot Valentina Shevchenko vs Manon Fiorot will take place on May 10 Across two weight classes, Shevchenko’s been fighting the best girls in the world for almost 10 years now. ‘Bullet’ nearly took out the consensus greatest female fighter of all time in Amanda Nunes on two occasions where she lost both times by closely-contested decision Shevchenko got her hand raised against a former and future champion to cement herself as the undeniable #1 contender at 135lbs In Jan. 2017, Shevchenko would defend her top spot in the division against current women’s bantamweight champion, UFC 316 co-headliner Julianna Peña after defeating former champ Holly Holm in her first five-round main event ‘The Ultimate Fighter 18’ winner Peña was riding a four-fight winstreak with her latest victory over former title challenger Cat Zingano it was Shevchenko who took Peña down with ease—twice Peña did land some good knees in the clinch having a better second round with her own takedown and top control Peña attempted to ground and pound while Shevchenko quickly transitioned for an armbar attempt from bottom guard Shevchenko expertly snatched Peña’s arm with ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ trying to roll out to escape Within seconds of the scramble and her arm extended Pena was forced to tap out for her first submission loss Julianna Peña is the last fighter to defeat Amanda Nunes Following her win over the UFC 316 co-headliner Valentina Shevchenko was greeted by former foe and then champ Amanda Nunes inside the Octagon The two exchanged some words over a highly-anticipated rematch and faced off for the cameras Shevchenko met Nunes in her final non-title fight at UFC 196 where the Kyrgyzstan-native lost in a competitive decision. They’d rematch years later at UFC 215 with Nunes’ bantamweight title on the line Shevchenko wouldn’t have any luck with the judges the second time around as she lost a controversial split decision when they fought in Sep Nunes and Shevchenko were neck-and-neck in their rematch with ‘The Lioness’ defending her title in a close call The current champion of the weight class below, Valentina Shevchenko is the #1 pound-for-pound female fighter in the UFC with Amanda Nunes retired for the last two years. Though, all signs point to a Nunes’ comeback against the winner of Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison at UFC 316 The UFC women’s flyweight division has witnessed many challengers come and go Most have fallen short against the dominant champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko has ruled the 125-pound division with an iron fist since 2018 Her technical striking and grappling mastery have made her one of UFC’s most respected champions Only Alexa Grasso managed to briefly interrupt her reign with that shocking submission win in 2023 Now a new challenger emerges from France with momentum on her side Manon Fiorot brings an impressive unbeaten UFC streak into the most important bout of her career The former karate champion has smashed through UFC competition since her 2021 debut Her fighting style combines disciplined striking with surprising power Many believe she could be the puzzle Shevchenko hasn’t solved yet UFC 315 will answer whether the division gets a new queen or if the champion reasserts her dominance Also Read: UFC 315 Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Preview – Will the UFC Welterweight Title See a Change of Hands Again? Valentina Shevchenko’s path to greatness started long before most fans knew her name She began training in martial arts as a tiny five-year-old in Kyrgyzstan the president of their country’s Muay Thai federation Little did anyone know this small girl would become one of MMA’s most decorated champions Shevchenko competed in over 500 kickboxing matches before transitioning to MMA in 2003 The ‘Bullet’ nickname fits her perfectly She strikes with precision and speed that few can match Shevchenko shows few signs of slowing down Her championship mindset remains her greatest weapon and this approach has helped her recapture the title after her surprise loss to Grasso and establish herself once again as the division’s ultimate challenge Her fighting IQ stands among the highest in the sport Shevchenko adapts mid-fight better than almost anyone finding patterns and exploiting weaknesses Her 52% striking accuracy shows her efficiency. her 64% takedown accuracy demonstrates she is far more than just a striker She even controlled Grasso on the ground in the third fight With 24 wins against only 4 losses across a two-decade career her experience advantage cannot be overstated Manon Fiorot’s MMA journey began much later than the champion’s She only turned professional in 2018 after transitioning from karate Her debut resulted in her only professional loss The French fighter combines technical precision with surprising power Her six knockout victories show she carries fight-ending ability in her hands What makes Fiorot especially dangerous is her takedown defense she routinely keeps fights standing where she can utilize her striking background Standing two inches taller than Shevchenko gives her a slight reach advantage on paper Though her striking accuracy sits lower at 41% she makes up for it with volume and pressure Her fighting style forces opponents to work at an uncomfortable pace The 35-year-old knows this championship opportunity might be her best shot Her unbeaten winning streak has built momentum few contenders bring into title fights it remains to be seen if she can capitalize and get the title from the champion small advantages often determine the outcome Shevchenko holds edges in striking accuracy and submission skills Her seven submission victories show her danger on the ground Fiorot counters with superior takedown defense and youthful energy The champion’s experience in five-round fights gives her a proven gas tank Fiorot has never gone beyond three rounds in the UFC 🇰🇬 Valentina Shevchenko vs Manon Fiorot 🇫🇷Who you got at #UFC315 on Saturday?! pic.twitter.com/4S2SJ6F2iU The fight likely hinges on who controls distance. Shevchenko thrives in the pocket where she can land combinations and grab clinches. Fiorot prefers fighting at range where her longer strikes can score without return fire. Both women have strong kicking attacks that they use to maintain their preferred distance. The first round might look like a chess match as they gauge timing and reactions. Will Shevchenko add another name to her list of conquered challengers? Or will Fiorot complete her remarkable rise and become France’s first UFC women’s champion? The beauty of combat sports lies in these unanswerable questions! (Image Credit: Craig Kidwell – Imagn Images) Get the biggest stories delivered straight to you - for free! By signing up, you consent to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, nad to receive marketing and account-related emails from The Playoffs. You can subscribe at any time. For over 10 years, The Playoffs has been a go-to source for sports and sports betting enthusiasts. 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Call 1-800-Gambler. COPYRIGHT © 2025 - THE PLAYOFFS - SHARE THE PASSION FOR SPORTS AND BETTING This Shevchenko vs Fiorot battle goes down as the co-main event on May 10 in Montreal Fiorot has long been promised as a future 125-pound champion and her slight chalk status speaks to how the books view her heading into this one Widely regarded as the GOAT of women's flyweight and the second-most accomplished female fighter in UFC history Shevchenko may not have dominated Alexa Grasso in their UFC 306 trilogy fight but she demonstrated plenty of grit to show she's not "washed," as the kids say "Bullet" used a good mix of wrestling and striking to overwhelm Grasso in that successful who is a very similar fighter to Valentina in my eyes Both are very strong and relatively difficult to take down. Shevchenko's Muay Thai background and fight IQ give her an edge in striking accuracy and tactical execution Her experience in five-round title fights could be pivotal against Fiorot who is entering her first championship bout but the weight of a title bout is something different striking accuracy sits at 41% heading into this fight Valentina's timing with strikes and takedowns will give her a big edge I'll consider parlaying her with the OVER 2.5 "The Beast" Fiorot enters UFC 315 as a formidable contender Her recent unanimous decision victories over top-tier opponents like Erin Blanchfield and Rose Namajunas highlight her technical prowess and endurance.​ Fiorot's fighting style is rooted in her karate background emphasizing precise striking and effective movement Her ability to control distance and pace has been instrumental in her ascent within the division and that's where I hit a wall in betting logic.  but we've yet to see that pop materialize against top-tier competition It'll be tough to outlast Shevchenko in a point-fight especially with Valentina's more diverse weapons I won't be betting her as a favorite at UFC 315 and championship experience make her a strong pick at +100 who lacks proven finishing power at the highest level Any OVER rounds bet will likely fetch some coin Your subscription has been successful All News FIDE News Chess News Top Top Federations Main Page / Search Tournaments Titles Transfers Calculators Download FIDE Circuit Women's Events '24-'25 Open Cycle 2025-2026 Women’s Cycle 2025-2026 Women’s Cycle 2023-2025 All Tournaments Main Events About FIDE Handbook Documents Financial Reports Officials Commissions & Committees Federations Affiliated Organizations Affiliated Members Honourable Dignitaries Chart The First Instance Chamber of the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission (EDC Chamber) following an exchange of correspondence and online meetings has reached a unanimous decision regarding the incident involving GM Kirill Shevchenko (the Respondent): the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) received a report from the FIDE Fair Play Commission (FPL) titled “Report of the FPL-Investigatory Panel in the Kirill Shevchenko Case (Cheating Allegation).” The Respondent was accused by the FIDE Fair Play Commission of cheating at the Spanish Team Championship on or around 13 October 2024 The FPL recommended a sanction of a worldwide suspension of three years The Respondent was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations GM Shevchenko admitted to hiding a phone in the toilet and using it to access Lichess but denied that he had “effectively” cheated or that his actions influenced the game a) He fully cooperated with the investigation.b) He admitted wrongdoing in a timely manner.c) He had a clean disciplinary record.d) He was 22 years old at the time of the offense.e) His mental state was compromised as he had been receiving death threats.f) He demonstrated remorse on multiple occasions.g) The cheating attempt was not fully executed there were no significant statistical deviations in the player’s performance during this tournament compared to his usual rating performance The EDC Chamber found that GM Shevchenko did hide a phone in the toilet at the Spanish Team Championship It further concluded that he attempted to cheat but was unable to determine The EDC panel acknowledged the mitigating factors presented by the Respondent specifically noting his cooperation with the investigation As the Respondent had already been provisionally suspended and had not participated in any events since the Spanish Team Championship the ban will commence on 19 October 2024 and terminate on 18 October 2026 with the suspended portion ending on 18 October 2027 The Respondent’s GM title will not be revoked “Any penalty for fair play violations should serve as a strong deterrent reinforcing FIDE’s zero-tolerance stance on cheating This decision appears too lenient and does not fully reflect our commitment to integrity in chess We will carefully review the matter and determine whether to file an appeal within the prescribed period,” stated Andrew Howie EDC Chamber decision on Case #6/24 (PDF) © 2025 FIDE International Chess Federation stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means (including photocopying recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of FIDE International Chess Federation GM Kirill Shevchenko has received a three-year worldwide ban from chess allowing him to return to competitive play in October 2026 The 22-year-old confessed to hiding a phone in the toilet but denied using it to cheat with an engine.  a Spanish enclave on the North African coast In the decision by the EDC Chamber comprising Chairperson David Hater and members Olga Baskakova and Alan Borda Shevchenko can return to tournament play on October 18 The sanction's suspended portion extends to 2027 and will become a ban should he reoffend: The Respondent is sanctioned to a worldwide ban for three (3) years with one (1) year of the sanction suspended should the Respondent commit a similar offense he will be liable for the suspended portion of the sanction as well as whatever sanction is adjudicated as a result of the subsequent offense.  The cheating scandal involving the Ukrainian-born grandmaster representing Romania sent shockwaves around the chess world last year when a locked phone accompanied by a note instructing finders not to touch it was found in a bathroom next to the tournament hall The investigation by the tournament arbiter was sparked by Shevchenko's opponent in the second round of the event, GM Francisco Vallejo Pons who complained to the arbiter that Shevchenko was spending too long away from the board Concerns were also raised privately by GM Bassem Amin Subsequent investigation revealed that a second phone had been found in the same location the previous day Shevchenko initially denied any wrongdoing and did not publicly respond to the allegations he admitted with the "deepest regret" to hiding a phone in the toilet: the Respondent sent an e-mail to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission admitting that he used a mobile phone during the game against Vallejo Pons on 13th of October 2024 while using the phone to access the chess platform Lichess he did not "effectively" cheat and he denies his actions had any influence on his games maintaining that he "did not complete the act of cheating." it is apparent that GM Shevchenko's clumsy attempts to use an electronic device in order to cheat were not effective and the Player's behavior—while reprehensible—did not influence the result of the matches he was playing," his legal counsel wrote It is apparent that Shevchenko’s clumsy attempts to use an electronic device in order to cheat were not effective (...) and did not influence the result of the matches he was playing According to an analysis by IM Kenneth Regan the American professor and renowned expert on chess cheating there were "no standard deviations of the player's performance in this particular tournament from his typical rating performance." In other words nothing in the games points to any engine usage EDC considered several mitigating factors that Shevchnko's legal counsel submitted in his defense He maintains that he fully cooperated with the investigation The panel also noted that they saw video evidence of Shevchenko receiving death threats and that his mental state was disturbed by threats to his family related to the war in Ukraine.  the EDC found that Shevchenko did in fact hide a phone in the toilet and also concluded that he attempted to cheat but was unable to determine They also noted that there is no evidence of cheating in previous events the EDC was clear on the seriousness of the breach the fact that actual cheating did not occur may be relevant for the sanction Attempted cheating violates article 11.7 (e) Cheating is an existential threat to chess competitions and must be dealt with severely Even an attempt at cheating is reprehensible and must be condemned in no uncertain terms and sanctions must be applied to deter others and protect our game.  Cheating is an existential threat to chess competitions and must be dealt with severely.  —FIDE's Ethics & Disciplinary Commission The EDC argued against stripping Shevchenko of his grandmaster title as was the request by FIDE's Fair Play Commission due to what they considered to be "significant mitigating factors:" If the mitigating factors in this case are not sufficient reason to not [sic] strip the title it becomes difficult to comprehend what mitigating factors would justify not stripping the title Given that the standard is "may," it would seem this particular respondent has a strong argument for discretion being applied in this case even though in most cases the title will actually be stripped even if the GM title was obtained fairly That verdict will likely provoke strong reactions from the chess community. The most notable similar case was that of the late Igors Rausis, who in 2019 was banned for six years and stripped of his grandmaster title after being caught with a phone during a tournament in France The Fair Play Commission has already indicated they may file an appeal stating: "Any penalty for fair play violations should serve as a strong deterrent reinforcing FIDE's zero-tolerance stance on cheating." "This decision appears too lenient and does not fully reflect our commitment to integrity in chess We will carefully review the matter and determine whether to file an appeal within the prescribed period."  Sabin Gherdan at Gherdan & Associates and Dr expressed disappointment at the severity of the sanction In a statement provided to Chess.com reflecting on their professional and technical assessment of the decision they argued that nearly all mitigating factors were present in Shevchenko's case yet he received the maximum recommended penalty for a first-time offender given the specific circumstances of the case," the legal team stated "The FIDE Guidelines recommend a maximum sanction of three years for a first-time offender nearly all of the mitigating factors were present the maximum recommended sanction under the Guidelines was imposed as though those mitigating factors had no practical effect." given the specific circumstances of the case They further noted that the EDC confirmed the act was not consummated and that Professor Regan's analysis found no statistical deviations in Shevchenko's performance during the tournament They also said the 22-year-old was under "extreme psychological pressure" due to having received "credible death threats." While we acknowledge the seriousness of the offense it is important to emphasize that our Client was under extreme psychological pressure at the time originating from individuals located near the tournament venue explicitly referencing his whereabouts in Melilla should have been duly considered by the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission as strong grounds for imposing a lesser sanction Shevchenko's legal team said they are seriously considering an appeal They also do not rule out the possibility of escalating the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) A spokesperson for the Romanian Chess Federation told Chess.com they did not want to comment on the story.  Valentina Shevchenko has experienced a plethora of big moments since she made her UFC debut in 2015 One of those moments was being a part of the first event with fans after the COVID-19 pandemic where she successfully defended her flyweight title against Jéssica Andrade.  she gets to be a part of once in a lifetime opportunity inside Sphere in Las Vegas for UFC 306: O’Malley vs Dvalishvili.  Order UFC 306: O'Malley vs Dvalishvili  It's the same feeling when I fought in the first event after the pandemic in Jacksonville and the atmosphere in there I expect it to be even bigger be in the Sphere.” Even though it’s going to be an unforgettable night Shevchenko probably won’t let it all sink in until after everything is all said and done.  But looking back when you see how it was on the tape it's kind of like being in there and you understand how huge the event was.” Since she lost her belt to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 last March Shevchenko has been on a hunt to get it back and went on to become the most dominant champion the women’s flyweight division has seen successfully defending her belt seven times.  WATCH: Grasso vs Shevchenko 1 | Grasso vs Shevchenko 2  Six months after Shevchenko lost to Grasso the two ran it back in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day during Noche UFC The outcome is one that is still being talked about today but it fueled her even more heading into their third fight And she feels all the more confident knowing the gameplan she had last time worked.  I won that fight and only because of an interesting decision of one judge it went to the draw decision,” Shevchenko said I think it's good for everyone and you see me winning on the second fight so it's kind of like stick to the same game plan Shevchenko knows that the path she is in on will bring her back to being champion And that starts with building a team around you that also has that same belief.  they understand the truth and they’re with you “A champion's mindset is to follow your way follow your path in this world and if you know your path and what you have to do it's easy because no matter what's happening around you every time you are going to stick to one plan.” RELATED: Alexa Grasso | Hard Work, Not Magic  Shevchenko and Grasso went on to coach season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter A lot of times we see the bad blood continue to rise between coaches such as Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler but that wasn’t the case for these two.  “I've been in martial arts all my life already it's my lifestyle and I respect my opponents Shevchenko has never been one to look past opponents and that’s once again the case as she prepares to close this chapter with Grasso If I were to look back and see what is going to happen in five years I never would have imagined what is going to happen Let's focus on what is waiting for us in the near future.” Breaking Down The Pairings For Saturday’s Historic Riyadh Season Noche UFC Go Through All The Heavyweight Title Winners In UFC History Dana White's Contender Series Returns As Prospective Fighters Fight For A UFC Contract In Front Of UFC President Dana Valentina Shevchenko is inarguably one of the greatest fighters As she prepares to begin her second flyweight title reign we’ll look back at the spine-tingling way Shevchenko kicked off her first go-around on the throne Shevchenko will face the surging Manon Fiorot in the UFC 315 co-main event next Saturday in Montreal. After a decisive win over Alexa Grasso in their UFC 306 trilogy Shevchenko will look to kick off her second stint as the UFC women’s flyweight champion in similar fashion to her first run After defeating the legendary Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the first UFC women’s flyweight title matchup, Shevchenko faced Jessica Eye at UFC 238 a card headlined by Henry Cejudo’s successful attempt at ‘champ-champ’ status Shevchenko wasted no time establishing her game plan against Eye in the UFC 238 co-main event She quickly found her rhythm with leg kicks in the opening round and had Eye on her back foot for the majority of the opening minutes Shevchenko ended the action almost as quickly as it started Shevchenko and Eye met in the middle of the Octagon to begin Round 2 with Eye trying to find her timing to potentially shoot for a takedown But keeping a low guard ended up being Eye’s downfall against the flyweight champion Shevchenko countered Eye’s low guard by landing a perfectly-timed head kick that knocked Eye unconscious on the canvas. The Chicago crowd went nuts as Shevchenko celebrated her wild knockout and successful first title defense You can check out Shevchenko’s highlight-reel finish below touting her ability to earn quick finishes throughout her young career Shortly after publicly expressing frustration with an uncertain return timeline, Ditcheva will return on a July pay-per-view card in the PFL against a to-be-announced opponent. She hasn’t fought since finishing Shevchenko’s former UFC rival, Taila Santos If Shevchenko gets past Fiorot in her upcoming fight, she’ll be in desperate need of new, fresh challengers in the flyweight division. She’s already gone through most of the division’s top contenders, including her recent win over Grasso, who also returns at UFC 315 against Natalia Silva Drake RiggsUncrownedMarch 4 2025 at 10:33 PM UTC·4 min readThe second-ever women's champion vs champion bout in UFC history may actually be on the horizon between flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko and strawweight beltholder Zhang Weili for 2025 with White stating he was "probably going to say yes" to whatever fight Zhang wanted next the Zhang matchup was never discussed before she landed her next title defense against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in May I thought it might [cause a] slight change but when UFC reached out with the final agreement for the fight it was the same [idea we had] before all this happened." Zhang has been much more outspoken about her intentions to one day challenge the flyweight titleholder Yet,t despite Shevchenko's relative silence since recapturing her belt and becoming a two-time champion in September "The Bullet" is up to the task if she gets past France's Fiorot Who else?" Shevchenko said of the Zhang matchup "I think it would be [an] amazing fight I think it would be something that fans would love to see." Zhang's win over Suarez — which was actually an upset per BetMGM lines — reminded the world why the reigning two-time strawweight champion is one of the best to ever do it Matched against perhaps the most feared wrestler the division has ever seen dominating the fight with strong wrestling and her superior striking As a fan of both competitors in the recent 115-pound title tilt Shevchenko said she enjoyed seeing the styles contrast as well as Suarez's perseverance throughout her own long road to a title shot But Shevchenko isn't looking beyond her upcoming challenger Fiorot who's amassed a 12-fight winning streak and a perfect 7-0 record in the UFC Fiorot has made it easier for Shevchenko to hone in thanks to Fiorot's social media trash talk Shevchenko recalled relaxing on a cruise through the Pacific Ocean in recent months when Fiorot started stirring the pot and calling for her title fight Thanks to the island scenery and relaxed atmosphere Shevchenko couldn't have been less bothered — and she still isn't entirely convinced it was even the Frenchwoman hitting send Shevchenko wants to return respect to her latest rival "I know she's claiming to be a karate person how you approach the martial arts," Shevchenko said "But throwing these kind of dirty tweets [out] — if she's really thinking it's going to provoke [me] I would understand [if a] person already did something — defend [a] belt starting to go around and assault everyone like some bright mind decided to come up with this strategy But I don't think that is the smart thing especially being [a] martial artist all my life "Especially karate being [a form of] martial arts with a huge story But I guess it's teaching everyone except Manon 1: Belal Muhammad's fight week meals look like zero punishmentThe UFC is back in Montreal for the first time in 10 years for UFC 315MMA JunkieThe UFC is back in Montreal for the first time in 10 years for UFC 315 its fifth pay-per-view of the calendar year and the popular "Embedded" fight week video series is here to document what's happening behind the scenes welterweight champion Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA 15-3 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time when he takes on challenger Jack Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA two-time women's flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA 13-3-1 UFC) puts the belt up against Manon Fiorot (12-1 MMA who is favored in the fight as the challenger The first episode of "Embedded" follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week Here is the UFC's description of the episode from YouTube: Champ Belal Muhammad trains in his private gym and eats like a king; Jack Della Maddalena taste-tests his friend’s new restaurant; Manon Fiorot spars and gets a nice gift; Mike Malott hits pads at Niagara Top Team; Champ Valentina Shevchenko pilots a yacht; Jose Aldo shows off his kickboxing power ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Bell Centre in Montreal UFC 306 is historic for a variety of reasons not the least of which is the fact that the co-main event between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko is the first women’s championship trilogy to go down in the Octagon The flyweight champion shocked the world when she submitted Shevchenko in March 2023 and Grasso is hoping for a more definitive defense of her title than the sequel provided while Shevchenko is keen to get her belt back in a big way.  A year after they headlined the inaugural Noche UFC event Grasso and Shevchenko will make their epic walks to the Octagon in the second-to-last fight of the night in Sphere It’s expected that their bout will play out as intensely as the first two installments.  Grasso came into the UFC as an undefeated strawweight with a decent amount of hype buzzing around her She split her first six fights and struggled hitting the strawweight limit she moved up to flyweight and immediately found her groove She ripped off four consecutive wins over Ji-Yeon Kim Joanne Wood and Viviane Araújo to earn her shot at Shevchenko she routinely made things tough for Shevchenko and earned the first round on all three scorecards Although Shevchenko took the next two rounds there was a feeling that Grasso was still in the fight and giving the long-tenured champion actual problems to handle Grasso pounced on Shevchenko after the champion had thrown a spinning back kick and proceeded to shock the MMA world.  How To Watch UFC 306 Riyadh Season Noche UFC In Your Country Grasso arguably fought better in the rematch with the Mexico-friendly crowd in Las Vegas behind her at Noche UFC While Shevchenko routinely got Grasso to the ground Grasso held her own on the feet and scored a knockdown Grasso appeared to carry the bigger pop on her punches and a fifth-round rally was enough to get the draw.  “Bullet” has been one of the best mixed martial artists on the roster since she made her debut back in December 2015 After opening her UFC account to the tune of a 3-1 record including wins over Holly Holm and Julianna Peña Shevchenko faced Amanda Nunes at UFC 215 for the bantamweight belt Nunes bested Shevchenko a year-and-a-half prior but the second bout was as close as it gets The judges gave the split decision nod to Nunes much to the dismay of Shevchenko and the result was tight enough for people to call for a trilogy bout until Nunes retired in June 2023.  RELATED: Just Hard Work For Alexa Grasso | Co-Main Countdown Shevchenko moved down to the newly opened flyweight division and immediately asserted her dominance defended her title seven times and often looked unchallenged at 125 pounds Highlights during her title reign included wins over former champions Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Jéssica Andrade her highlight reel head kick knockout on Jessica Eye and relative domination in her other defenses.  Taila Santos pushed Shevchenko for the first real time in June 2022 but Shevchenko showed off her championship resolve and Fight IQ to bring home that decision Although she doesn’t make excuses for her title-losing tap out at UFC 285 she continues to bring up her qualms with the judge who gave Grasso a 10-8 scorecard in the fifth round of their rematch Shevchenko would have earned the split decision nod but she is adamant about bringing the trilogy to a definitive end.  While some have qualms about the draw a year ago what’s indisputable is that the fight was close including the knockdown scored in the second round.  Shevchenko found most of her success on the ground scoring four takedowns on seven attempts and collecting more than eight minutes of control time but Grasso held her own on the ground in pockets where she had 90 seconds of control.  there are little surprises remaining when it comes to a trilogy fight Grasso and Shevchenko already spent nearly 45 minutes in the Octagon with one another over the last 16 months as well as a season coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter They even split winners this season with Grasso coaching Mairon Santos to the featherweight tournament title while Team Shevchenko representative Ryan Loder took the middleweight tournament crown.  RELATED: Shevchenko Made For This | MMA Coaches Talk 306 Co-Main The two have remained respectful throughout their saga and are both keen to give the other their flowers it’s everything a fight fan could ask for in terms of competitiveness and the quality of each of their contests they go out to once again prove they are the top two flyweights in the world while a gang of contenders awaits what they hope is the end of a rivalry An Overview Of Every UFC Weight Class And How UFC Weigh-Ins Operate Heavyweight Finish Specialist Brings Five Fight Win Streak To Showdown With Blaydes UFC: UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko has refused to let judges decide her title defence at UFC 315 Valentina Shevchenko said she is wary of allowing the judges to determine the outcome of her trilogy bout with flyweight champion Alexa Grasso after their previous meeting ended in a controversial split draw Shevchenko will try to regain the title when she meets Grasso for the third time during Noche UFC at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept When they fought last September, one judge scored the final round for Grasso with a 10-8 scorecard, leading to the draw that allowed Grasso to retain her title Shevchenko was unhappy with the result and believed the scores might have been swayed by fan reaction in support of Grasso The fight took place during the inaugural Noche UFC at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena during Mexican Independence Day weekend "We know why this fight is happening," Shevchenko told ESPN on Wednesday "It was a draw because of a mistake by one of the judges "I hope it was by accident and wasn't done on purpose because of personal reasons." The trilogy once again will happen during Mexican Independence Day weekend Shevchenko said she is determined not to leave the fight in the judges' hands "I have to definitely finish the fight and don't let it go to the judges' scorecards," Shevchenko told ESPN Grasso stunned Shevchenko with a fourth-round submission to win the flyweight championship at UFC 285 in March 2023 After the two coached opposite each other on the recent season of "The Ultimate Fighter," the third fight was booked for the UFC's first event at The Sphere in what UFC president Dana White has said will be the greatest sporting event of all time due to the high-end production planned for the night "This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Shevchenko said about competing at the $2.3 billion venue I won't be able to go out there and see it because I will have tunnel vision for my fight that night But I will definitely watch it on videotape after it's over." Drake RiggsUncrownedFebruary 9 2025 at 4:00 PM UTC·3 min readZhang Weili has been a dominant force at strawweight since reclaiming her title in late 2022 the two-time 115-pound champion was the betting underdog to her latest challenger Zhang proved how wrong oddsmakers were with a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Suarez and her performance made a strong impression on UFC CEO Dana White Speaking at UFC 312's post-fight press conference White said he couldn't have been more impressed with his Chinese champion in and out of the Octagon Zhang Weili is establishing herself as an all-time great (REUTERS/Jeremy Piper) (REUTERS / Reuters)"Lots of people were texting me saying and I bet the casinos got murdered tonight because I bet a lot of people threw money on Tatiana the best female fighter in the sport right now "At the press conference [before the fight] Tatiana was talking about what she was going to do and what about her wrestling "She actually out-wrestled Tatiana tonight — an absolute stud and and such a huge One hundred million views just on UFC platforms in China indicated during fight week that the original UFC 312 plan in discussions was for her to challenge UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko a Shevchenko injury nixed that idea and handed Suarez her big opportunity White said he's open to the idea of matching the 115-pound champion Zhang up against the 125-pound champion Shevchenko especially now that Zhang has five total defenses under her belt "They're waiting for me," White said of Zhang and her team "I love them both [Zhang and Shevchenko] with a successful title defense already on the books less than eight weeks into the year Suarez provided the champion with little resistance The star wrestler managed one takedown early on against the champ ending the fight 1-for-15 on takedown attempts after five largely one-sided rounds Whether or not "Magnum" goes for a second UFC title in her next fight White sees no reason Zhang won't get whatever she and her team request "She looked absolutely dominant tonight she's healthy and came out of that fight with zero injuries "She's at a point in her career now and everything that she's accomplished that whatever she has to ask me [for] in the hallway back here making the concept of a clash between them all the more exciting said she isn't concerned with the pound-for-pound talks she responded that she prefers to keep her focus on herself "Let's talk with Dana later," Zhang said so if there is a good time for both of us to make this fight happen We are happy and honored to announce that one of the youngest talents in the world, GM @chesser_22, chose to play for Romania! He became a GM when he was only 14 years old. He is currently the 78th player in the world. Welcome to our team, Kirill!📸: Lennart Ootes pic.twitter.com/Z01YiN7Ted and sharing a petition to remove FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich These obstacles are not exactly reflected in his rating, which has risen over the years. With an understandable stagnation in 2020, when over-the-board chess paused due to the pandemic, he broke into the 2600 club the following year. In 2021, he helped lead Ukraine to its first-ever European Team Chess Championship victory He has been an active tournament player despite the war starting in 2022 and is currently at his peak rating forced to flee their home country due to ongoing violence UAF President Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine is pictured during the 49th ordinary UEFA congress FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks to delegates at the 49th ordinary UEFA congress in Belgrade UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin shakes hands with delegates during the 49th UEFA congress in Belgrade UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin speaks during a press conference after the 49th ordinary UEFA congress speaks with UEFA general secretary Theodoros Theodoridis after a press conference after the 49th ordinary UEFA congress the former AC Milan star and 2004 Ballon d’Or winner got just 15 votes from the 55 national federations — a shockingly low total for such a high-profile candidate — as one of five candidates for two vacant seats through 2027 on the UEFA ruling committee whose federation president Moshe Zuares got 31 votes Asked on Thursday if he would uphold his previous pledge to leave in 2027 after 11 years in a job that paid him Russia lost its seat on the 22-member UEFA ExCo because its most senior soccer official the chief executive of Russian oil firm Gazprom Neft did not stand as a candidate to retain his place for the next four years “When the war stops they (Russia) will be readmitted,” Čeferin said restating UEFA’s position on Russian senior teams A failed UEFA push in 2023 toward letting Russian under-17 teams return provoked a rift in the UEFA executive committee FIFA President Gianni Infantino told European soccer officials in a keynote speech he hoped Russia would soon be back in international soccer “Because this would mean that everything is solved” with peace in the war In a separate election for UEFA ExCo seats with four-year mandates UEFA also now has a second woman on the ruling committee electing Norwegian soccer president Lise Klaveness by acclamation to a new seat protected for female candidates UEFA pays executive committee members a taxable stipend of 160,000 euros ($178,000) each year with vice presidents getting 250,000 euros ($277,000) UEFA said in its financial report published on Thursday Čeferin got a taxable salary of 3,250,000 Swiss francs ($3.78 million) in the 2023-24 year He also gets $300,000 from FIFA as one of its vice presidents UEFA secretary general Theodore Theodoridis got a taxable salary and bonus package of 1.9 million Swiss francs ($2.22 million) Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker MONTREAL – After many words exchanged on social media, Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot came face to face for the first time Wednesday at the UFC 315 on-sale press conference Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) will put her women's flyweight title on the line for the first time of her second reign when she takes on streaking contender Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the co-headliner of the May 10 card at Bell Centre (ESPN+ pay-per-view Fiorot, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women's flyweight rankings 1 Shevchenko was avoiding sharing the octagon Shevchenko proved that wrong and looked as intense as ever ahead of a key bout in her career Check out the video above to see the staredown between Shevchenko and Fiorot from the UFC 315 press conference at the host venue in Canada RelatedBelal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 315 main event Zhang Weili: Timing will be key in the making of potential UFC title fight vs. Valentina Shevchenko For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 315 LAS VEGAS -- The first trilogy in UFC women's history came to its conclusion Saturday, and it was Valentina Shevchenko who enjoyed the last laugh Shevchenko (24-4-1) reclaimed her flyweight title by defeating Alexa Grasso (16-4-1) via unanimous decision at UFC 306 inside the Sphere It was the third consecutive title fight between Shevchenko and Grasso Grasso took the belt from Shevchenko in the first meeting in a massive upset by decision The second bout ended in a majority draw one year ago The final act proved to be surprisingly one-sided as she took Grasso down in each of the five rounds en route to unanimous 50-45 scores Grasso managed to land only 18 significant strikes Shevchenko had more than 16 minutes of control time on the ground in the 25-minute fight "It's a dream come true fighting in the Sphere," Shevchenko said "Everything about this fight was more satisfying [than the last one] The game plan was to go in there and fight to the end." It was a night of vindication for Shevchenko who adamantly said she felt she won the rematch in September 2023 Shevchenko would have won that bout had one judge not scored the final round a 10-8 for Grasso which is what led to the majority draw result Although Grasso clearly won the fifth round many questioned whether it was dominant enough to merit a 10-8 score Valentina Shevchenko had more than 16 minutes of control time on the ground in her shutout victory over Alexa Grasso on Saturday night. Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesShevchenko left no doubt on Saturday She expertly picked at her from long range on the feet before shooting in on well-timed takedowns Grasso surrendered 8 of 12 takedown attempts and struggled to work back to her feet She did threaten Shevchenko with a handful of submissions off her back including a tight guillotine in the fourth round The crowd booed the lack of action in the co-main event at times but that did nothing to dampen Shevchenko's spirits She looked emotional as the final bell sounded She had held the 125-pound title for nearly four years when Grasso took it from her in 2022 Originally born in Kyrgyzstan, Shevchenko is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. She had never gone winless in back-to-back appearances in MMA until the majority draw with Grasso. She will likely face French No. 1 contender Manon Fiorot in her next title defense Karas So LLP's disputes and investigations practice focuses on high value complex issues including those arising from corporate collapses Our team of insights and analytics experts collect and analyse data about markets industries and consumer behaviours to help businesses thrive For early-stage startups transforming the Legal sector. MDR Lab incubates and invests in the most promising early stage legaltech companies MDR Mayfair was created to provide private advisory services for a select group of families by bringing together a broad range of highly qualified professionals to seamlessly manage their affairs MDR ONE provides centralised global employment law support and data-led insights to multinational companies putting in-house counsel in control of their global legal operations MDRx exists to harness the latest emerging technologies in a safe entrepreneurs and technologists work side-by-side to advance the frontier of legal systems understanding The Academy is Mishcon de Reya's in-house place of learning our driver for growth and a platform for thought leadership Here we will bring together urgent societal issues and industry experts to deliver innovative thought leadership on issues that matter to us and to our clients The future has never been more unpredictable Never before has there been so much information to absorb so many social and business networks to navigate And the role of law has never been more pivotal in all of this Jazz Shapers is presented by Mishcon de Reya's Chief Brand Officer and former LBC presenter Elliot Moss Elliot will be interviewing shapers of the business world have defied convention and gone on to achieve great success Data We defend the data rights of businesses and individuals Investigations minimising disruption in high-stakes situations Regulatory We understand the high stakes involved in building the right regulatory strategy for you and your business Mishcon Purpose Charities and Social Ventures providing bespoke services to those who strive to make a difference Mishcon Purpose Mishcon Academy - Asia The Mishcon Academy ethos of Explore, Learn, Debate delivers more than training Karas So LLP Mishcon Academy discuss and share knowledge from our experts and others providing valuable learning experiences for the people who will shape a better world We now employ more than 1400 people with over 650 lawyers offering a wide range of legal services to companies and individuals Key contact: Kevin McCarthy Key contact: Hugo Plowman Key contact: Daniel Naftalin Key contact: Kamal Rahman, Timothy Burns, Mark Davis, Wei Zhang Key contact: Chris Willis Pickup Key contact: Jeremy Hertzog Key contact: Nick Davis Key contact: Stephen Hughes Key contact: Tahirah Ara Get the latest updates about Mishcon and insights on things that matter straight to your inbox Subscribe now We foster a culture that embraces diversity respect for the individual and the expression of talent Mishcon Graduates We believe successful lawyers are great shapers If you have an enquiry you can telephone us on +44 20 3321 7000, e-mail us or use our online enquiry form Crisis Hotline Call +44 80 0260 0546 for our 24-hour emergency legal hotline. For international calls please dial +44 800 060 0546 Anna Shevchenko is a CEO of the UK leading cross - cultural risks and communication consultancy has worked in 52 countries and interpreted for 8 British Prime Ministers In 2014 she was a Deputy Head of the OSCE International Observers team in Ukraine Her articles have appeared in various publications is a collection of real life stories of hope collected in Ukraine and across Europe in 2022-23 The book was printed under shelling in Ukraine and the whole team worked on it for free. All the money from the sales went to the charity projects In April 2024, Around the war in 20 stories was selected to represent Ukraine in Strasbourg and presented to 46 Ambassadors to the Council of Europe This event is now over, view upcoming events We use technology such as cookies on our site to personalise content Click below to consent to the use of this technology across our site You can change your mind and change your consent choices at anytime by returning to our cookies and privacy settings page We have to collect some data while you use this website We'd also like your consent to collect data while you use this website to help us; to study how people use our site and other services so we can improve them; decide which of our products or services may be relevant for you; serve targeted advertising cookies; gather insight about the types of visitors to the website Select I accept if it's okay for us to use cookies. 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To find out more about our cookie categories you can also manage individual consents to control which types of cookies we use Click Accept to consent to the use of this technology across our site You are able to toggle on or off your consent preference based on individual purpose for all companies listed under each section below You can change your mind and revisit your consent choices at anytime by returning to this site The LinkedIn Insight Tag enables in-depth campaign reporting and provides insight into website visitors From time to time we may use targeting advertising cookies on mishcon.com MONTREAL – UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko expects Manon Fiorot to put her money where her mouth is Ahead of their UFC 315 headliner on May 10 at Bell Centre, Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) hasn't forgotten about Fiorot's agreement to retire if she loses. What started last November as Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) threatening to send Shevchenko into retirement while she waited for their title fight to get book ended with Shevchenko flipping it on Fiorot making sure she's also prepared to call it a career Shevchenko made it clear that she's holding Fiorot to her word "She has to respect it," Shevchenko told MMA Junkie after the UFC 315 on-sale press conference "because this is what she was putting into the world After months of buildup with salvos fired at each other on social media Shevchenko and Fiorot were in each other's presence for the first time Wednesday didn't glean much from the press conference given the language barrier answered all of her questions in French – and Shevchenko felt her interpreter didn't do a good enough job who's squarely focused on the task at hand "Now the hard work is in front (of me) for two months and I feel like the closer faceoffs to the fight will be more intense," Shevchenko said I'm just gonna do everything I have to do to win the fight." UFC 315 video: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot first faceoff for title clash Valentina Shevchenko responds to Manon Fiorot's UFC title call with retirement stipulation Manon Fiorot vows to retire Valentina Shevchenko in potential UFC title fight Erin Blanchfield curious to see how Valentina Shevchenko deals with Manon Fiorot's size For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 315 The former AC Milan and Dynamo Kyiv star and 2004 Ballon d’Or winner got votes from just 15 of the 55 UEFA member federations Thursday when seeking a seat on the European soccer body’s decision-making executive committee Shevchenko needed at least 28 votes to get one of the two vacant seats being contested by five candidates Shevchenko did not specify possible political reasons for the results in the election which was won by candidates from Spain and Israel One of the seats was effectively to replace Shevchenko’s predecessor at the Ukrainian soccer body Čeferin restated UEFA’s position that Russia will be readmitted to international competitions only “when the war stops.” Shevchenko was defiant Friday insisting “we will not change our position.” “We will continue with our reforms in Ukrainian football and remain committed to strong international communication in the interests of our nation and the entire football community,” he said MONTREAL – Valentina Shevchenko is interested in a UFC champion-vs.-champion fight with Zhang Weili The timing seemingly didn't align next for Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA but if she manages to retain her belt against Fiorot (12-1 MMA then "The Bullet" welcomes the idea of a super fight against Weili (26-3 MMA "I'm open to all opportunities," Shevchenko told MMA Junkie she showed a lot of heart in her fights and with all the years that she's put into her performances It's an amazing fight and I think all the fans are going to be excited to see that." Following Weili's upset title defense over Suarez, UFC CEO Dana White said he was beyond impressed with the Chinese champion, and would oblige to he desires. It's unknown why Weili, No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women's pound-for-pound rankings but both fighters and White have publicly stated they are on board Weili could very well be waiting in the wings to face the UFC 315 winner and Shevchenko said it's currently her only focus to ensure that it's her "I'm not looking to jump in front to do something like that and after we're done with that and I step forward me and my team are going to think and see what is next for me." Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 315 main event Zhang Weili dominated Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312, so is a cross-divisional superfight now inevitable? (REUTERS/Jeremy Piper) (REUTERS / Reuters)Ben FowlkesUncrownedFebruary 12 2025 at 7:34 PM UTC·7 min readWhat’s next after Zhang Weili’s dominant title defense at UFC 312 Will Dominick Cruz’s retirement be the kind that actually sticks And how might having friends high up in the U.S government shape the future of combat sports for the UFC’s parent company @jmprodus: Weili v s Valentina at 125lb is the move right and for the simple reason that neither of them has anything else remotely interesting to do at the moment She’s beaten four of the top five women in the current UFC strawweight rankings with lopsided wins over both of the top two fighters in her past two outings She got her belt back from Alexa Grasso and is now looking at a pretty uninspiring field of potential challengers But it would also not be anything better than just fine This is a chance to make a really big fight in the women’s divisions and that’s something the UFC hasn’t had much of lately but Aldo will be there when you're rested" Speaking of Dom I'm convinced Keith Peterson DID smell of alcohol & cigs but it was from hand sanitizer gel as it start of the pandemic and it stunk then due to supply issues That is a very generous interpretation of Dominick Cruz’s comments about referee Keith Peterson I can only say that Cruz was so mad about the stoppage (which was entirely justifiable under the circumstances by the way) that he wasn’t necessarily limiting himself to olfactory facts in the moment The flesh is almost 40 — and as you’ll recall it struggled to stay healthy even in Cruz's prime @nickj812: If you were Dana and needed a few (regulatory) favors from Big Don On that I suppose the bigger Q is do you expect any changes in the power balances of boxing / MMA during this Presidency I can’t really think of much that the UFC could ask for that it doesn’t already have There aren’t really any government restrictions on it at all Anything it asks for from state athletic commissions Even when the National Labor Relations Board seemed briefly willing to consider whether the UFC has been misclassifying fighters as independent contractors all these years that too eventually got slow-played into nothing It’s boxing where I’d expect TKO Group Holdings Inc We just heard TKO CEO Ari Emanuel suggest that something might “happen” to the Ali Act which currently protects pro boxers from at least some exploitative business practices since boxing as a sport seems to be thriving right now in a whole lot of ways What I suspect Emanuel means is that the Ali Act has hurt the ability of one promoter to seize control of the sport and keep all the money and talent for itself I would say that even with a friend in the White House it would be hard to undo a federal law that’s existed for nearly 25 years now I look around at the current functioning of the U.S government and there’s not much I’m prepared to say couldn’t happen @MMAFAN2019: What would you add to the presentation of the apex to make it look more interesting Whatever the WWE did when it showed up there and held a pro wrestling event that actually looked like an event The half-empty warehouse vibe just drains away the energy on the broadcast It sends an instant visual message to the audience that these are not fights that matter And if the UFC can make an APEX event seem more like an actual event So let’s get some people in there and get to hootin’ and/or hollerin’ @ryanlawless.bsky.social: Have we reached the point in MMA where talking about it is more interesting than being about it I listen to your podcast and read your articles but I haven't watched a full PPV in almost five years One thing I took away from UFC 300 is that the UFC is still very capable of putting together a full pay-per-view event of must-watch fights There was not one bit of filler on that lineup Every fight was meaningful in one way or another and almost all of them were a ton of fun to watch It’s just being spread pretty thin by the hectic events schedule so loading up one fight card means leaving the cupboard a little bare for others Take UFC 312, for example. There was an event where you definitely did not need to watch the full pay-per-view A scattered few on the undercard ended up being worth checking out The rest was basically UFC Fight Night: Sydney you don’t need to sit there and watch every fight on every fight card But there are still great fights happening almost every weekend It’s just that you have to sit through a lot of filler to get there — or circle back on Sunday morning with a cup of coffee and skip to the good stuff UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko issued a retirement challenge in response to Manon Fiorot's recent call for a title fight Friday, Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) expressed her frustration with waiting for a title shot in a message to the champ Shevchenko (24-4-1 MMA "@BulletValentina stop making people wait!" Fiorot wrote on X (formerly Twitter) "Let's do it soon enough so I can send you to retirement and move on." and she stuck with the retirement theme by challenging Fiorot to put her career on the line when they meet in the octagon "You lose - you retire Deal?!!" Shevchenko wrote on X The retirement stipulation for the fight was a strong enough challenge but Shevchenko added a snarky remark to punctuate her reply calling Fiorot an "ill-mannered first-grader." Shevchenko recognizes Fiorot is likely her next challenger after defeating Alexa Grasso at UFC 306 to reclaim the women's flyweight title The UFC has not officially announced plans for Shevchenko or Fiorot's next bout Chael Sonnen: Valentina Shevchenko missed mark by not mentioning Manon Fiorot after UFC 306 title win Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3 at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas: Best photos When Shevchenko’s regular absence from the board aroused suspicion in round two a locked phone was found in the toilet with arbiters claiming a link of the phone to Shevchenko based on handwriting and behavior.  The 2024 Spanish Team Championship Honor Division taking place in the North African Spanish city of Melilla from October 12-18 has been shaken by a scandal after Shevchenko Chief Arbiter Oscar Bruno de Prado Rodriguez summarized his decision: Firmly believing and in light of the evidence gathered throughout the investigation that this player has made use of the mobile phone during the game in addition to ignoring my requests to notify me when he left the room I decide to impose the following sanction: The decision explains that an investigation was sparked by Vallejo complaining to the arbiter that his round-two opponent The arbiter raised the question with Shevchenko who said he had a problem and had to visit the toilet The arbiter reminded the player that it was necessary to ask permission to visit the toilet located outside the playing hall in a common area with two cubicles and three urinals with the arbiter asking a member of the organizing committee to investigate He saw Shevchenko visiting an individual cubicle and there found a new mobile phone with the handwritten note ¡El teléfono se dejó para que el huésped contestara por la noche!" ("Don't touch This telephone has been left so the owner can answer it at night!") The phone was confiscated and the toilet ordered to be locked with the cleaner revealing that a similar phone had been found there the day before and left unclaimed after it was handed in to the reception The arbiter says that other members of the organizing committee then observed as Shevchenko entered the bathroom and waited for some time before leaving instead of using a free toilet the arbiters compared the handwritten note to Shevchenko's scoresheets for rounds one and two and found similarities in the ink and handwriting They also noted the phone's time zone was one hour ahead of Spain's (two ahead of nearby Morocco)—that may hint at the time zone in Romania When challenged on the details, with help from teammate GM Daniil Yuffa as an interpreter The arbiters note that two more complaints were received. GM Jose Carlos Ibarra Jerez notes that Amin had privately noticed Shevchenko's absences from the board during round one Amin told Chess.com he was "still shocked," and explained: For me I would say things started to get strange at move six He played his move and left the playing hall for more than 10 minutes and this was repeated many times in the next moves But at some point I decided to go out to see where he is and he was standing outside the toilet room and when he saw me he went back to the playing hall And then at some point in the game he stopped going out till the game was finished Generally I try not to think about it too much that someone is maybe cheating because then you can’t really play but when it happened many times it was really not good specially that when he came back to the board he would play very fast and really good Vallejo also submitted analysis of the game he lost to Shevchenko though it's noteworthy that for much of the game Shevchenko would not have had access to a phone (if he had been using a phone in the toilet.) You can play through the two games below: The forfeit loss for Shevchenko will change the score but not result of his team's 4.5-1.5 win in round one but the round two 3-3 draw will now turn into a 4-2 loss Chess.com has reached out to Shevchenko for a comment Colin McGourty led news at Chess24 from its launch until it merged with Chess.com a decade later he got into chess writing when he set up the website Chess in Translation after previously studying Slavic languages and literature in St .Mike BohnSeptember 15, 2024 at 5:08 AM UTC·5 min readValentina Shevchenko evened the score with Alexa Grasso on Saturday when she regained the women's flyweight title in the UFC 306 co-main event 13-3-1 UFC) made the record 1-1-1 in head-to-head matchups with Grasso (16-4-1 MMA 8-4-1 UFC) with a lopsided unanimous decision victory in the co-main event of the historic card at Sphere in Las Vegas The matchups between Shevchenko and Grasso marked the first women's trilogy in UFC history and remains to be seen if a historic fourth meeting comes down the line as a result Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Shevchenko beating Grasso at UFC 306 x.com About Us Close About Us Open About Us Our Organization Discover our mission and dedication to protecting human rights across the globe Get to know the passionate team behind our work Review and access our complete collection of annual and financial reports Explore our programs dedicated to advancing freedom and democracy in every corner of the globe Contribute to our campaigns supporting the on the frontlines of the struggle for freedom and democracy Delve into our original research examining the human rights abuses and violations taking place under authoritarian regimes Discover our dynamic events spotlighting human rights activists and fostering meaningful global dialogue Shevchenko was a coordinator for Otkrytaya Rossiya (Open Russia) an opposition movement established by the exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky Open Russia and two other NGOs were deemed “undesirable” by Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office essentially banning any activity or association with the opposition organizations The news of Shevchenko’s daughter’s death triggered widespread demonstrations across Russia — from Moscow to St and Yekaterinburg — in support of the unlawfully detained activist Several international human rights organizations also came to her defense declaring her a “prisoner of conscience” and calling for her immediate release Shevchenko was handed a 4.5-year suspended sentence becoming the first person in Russia convicted based on the “undesirable organizations” law In 2022, she fled Russia with her children, and today, she continues to courageously challenge Vladimir Putin’s relentless crackdown on the opposition, seen most recently with the tragic murder of prominent Russian dissident and opposition leader Alexei Navalny while serving an unlawful 19-year prison sentence Register today for the Oslo Freedom Forum to hear Shevchenko’s story of bravery and sacrifice firsthand You can find additional details about the event at oslofreedomforum.com, and regular updates on our X and Instagram.  If you are interested in sponsoring the Oslo Freedom Forum, please contact [email protected]. If you are interested in attending as a member of the media, please contact [email protected] If you are interested in bringing your family to the OFF Camp for Kids, please contact [email protected] by April 15 The OFF Camp for Kids is an interdisciplinary human rights camp that includes fun activities and educational programming around the city of Oslo Join us in helping save lives and stand up to tyranny +1 (212) 246-8486 Reach out with any questions or support needs Find answers to commonly asked questions in our FAQs Hit enter to search or ESC to close Spencer Kyte will sit down with one the sharpest coaching minds in the sport to break down the action and provide UFC fans with insights into each championship pairing from the men that spend their days getting these elite athletes prepared to compete on the biggest stage in the sport For the third flyweight title clash between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko that serves as this weekend’s co-main event Kyte called upon New England Cartel leader Tyson Chartier to forecast how things could play out and what key factors to watch for on Saturday Kyte: What’s the best trait of Alexa Grasso and what’s the best trait of Valentina Shevchenko Chartier: I used to say with Valentina that it was that she’s so well-rounded because she really is — she can strike with anyone but she would go to the ground with grapplers and show she could beat you up there She is such a well-rounded fighter and mentally strong and her ability to make you fight her fight; everyone was doing that How To Watch And Stream UFC 306 In Your Country  But I would say her kickboxing is what she’s best known for — she’s done some great grappling in the UFC but her kickboxing is what she’s known for most but she’s more of a grappler; that’s where she’s getting it done That’s the only way she’s had success in these fights It’s dirty when she has success on the feet I think it’s one of those classic matchups — striker versus grappler Kyte:  I think they’re both solid in the other realms — they can both excel there and probably beat a lot of people using their secondary weapon as their primary but I agree that Grasso has to grimy it up Kyte: Have you seen a decline from Shevchenko Chartier: That’s what I was just thinking about It was very close and it’s almost like she got penalized for having too much back control she was doing well in the first Grasso fight and then got caught was still a close fight; it wasn’t a typical Shevchenko performance It looked like she was getting better and better and better So you wonder if this was the start of the decline where we’re gonna look back in a couple years and think “That was a quick decline; that’s when it started.” READ: New Fighter Kits Launched For UFC 306  I feel like she’s fighting great fighters — Grasso is good Santos is good — and styles make fights but I feel like if she loses this fight definitively that’s what everyone will say: “She’s over the hill now she’s on the decline; there’s a new queen of the division.” Kyte: The thing that has been surprising to me with it is that in both of these fights there have been bad mistakes — poor execution mistakes it’s the spinning back kick and Alexa pounces It didn’t look as quick or as smooth as it normally does I thought she won the fight — the 10-8 in the fifth is crazy — but she still makes that mistake with 90 seconds left where she’s almost got a head-and-arm standing and Grasso slips to her back and looks to finish her from there she wasn’t making those mistakes; it was just smash So I wonder if the slippage is the tell that — I don’t think she’s washed by any stretch but I think she’s coming back to the field a little bit which is to be expected when you’re 36 and have close to 100 fights under your belt Chartier: They have an interesting camp too where they just travel around and dip their toe in different gyms I don’t think you have to train with the absolute best to be the best but I’d like you to be getting looks from people that are giving you the business in the gym To just be bouncing around to different spots where you’re — I know there aren’t many bigger fish than her but I wonder if she’d benefit from consistently working with some better people Kyte: So we’ve kind of touched on it already for both fighters but what is the path to victory for each fighter Chartier: I think Shevchenko needs to keep it on the feet She needs to manage distance and not let it be sloppy You can’t make the mistake you’d make as an amateur against Alexa Grasso; she’s made her pay twice I think she has to be okay with winning a boring fight Kyte: That’s what I was just going to say — she has to be okay winning a boring decision but you can’t press for that because it’s going to create mistakes and openings Chartier: It’s the opposite — you have to find a way to get inside and then she doesn’t stay as disciplined because you’re frustrating her Don’t stand at range and let her point fight You might have to take one to get one; you might have to eat one of those shots going in to get to the clinch and land two or three shots You can’t be comfortable on the outside thinking you’re gonna go shot-for-shot with her because she’s going to look better doing it Kyte: That to me is the story of the second fight prior to the fifth round and the way things went there It felt like Grasso thought she could go shot-for-shot with her thought she could win a kickboxing match against her It was one of those standard things we talk about where you’re going in there so then you’re down 2-0 or 3-0 or 3-1 and you need a finish do you get to her about “We’ve got to go early and be making this our fight from the jump; making this grimy dirty and see if we can force some of those mistakes” rather than taking a wait-and-see approach Chartier: I think you’re playing with fire if you don’t force the issue because if you’re standing at range with somebody like that We said she has to make it boring and point-fight but the reality is that she’s also throwing to hurt you so you are playing with fire and you do have to press the issue a bit create those moments rather than banking on them coming Against a counter-striker like Shevchenko that knows you’re desperate So I think Grasso has to get on the gas early Kyte: She’s had positive moments in both fights Kyte: If there were one thing that was going to significantly impact how this fight plays out — that swings it in one direction or the other — what would it be it’s that question about whether Grasso looks to push the pace Does she fight how she needs to in order to win or does she look to fight comfortably Someone like Grasso knows she needs to make it messy to get inside and win Sometimes being smart isn’t being smart and it can lead to bad things so I’m interested to see if Grasso is willing to take one to get one because she knows “I have to go through the fire if I want to win this I want to see how urgent she is in her willingness to do that and try to force the mistakes I think about this being the longest layoff of Shevchenko’s career I’m so interested to see what a year on the sidelines having had a surgery — I want to get answers to that question we had off the top of whether she’s starting to slip this was already a competitive series and if she’s giving up even more ground coming off a frustrating result do for her Chartier: And you just keep seeing these articles about fighters over 35 in high-level fights and they’re not doing well and obviously I’ve been a part of a couple of those personally You always think it’s not gonna happen to you so trying to be at the elite tier in a sport when you’re continuing to get older has got to be — it’s got to take that much more to stay looking as good as she’s looked Kyte: If there is a little something-something in this matchup that catches your eye that piques your interest from a coaching standpoint Chartier: I think mine would have been what you said for your X factor — is Shevchenko slowing down Does she look her age or did the time off help her I’m interested to see if this is that stamp on the end where now you’re a gatekeeper for the title She could be at that point people thought Max (Holloway) was after he lost (to Alexander Volkanovski) the third time You know she’s still one of the best in the world we almost need to see one more fight with someone new because it just might be a matchup thing like with Max and Volk So I’m really interested to see if she fights like a 36-year-old is expected to fight I want to know how she reckoned with that last fight and what it brings out of her in this one Because she probably shouldn’t be champion You capitalized to full advantage the first time around and won that one clean; congratulations so now there is a little — for me at least — “Are you the best or have you managed to sneak through here?” Does that make you go out there with a chip on your shoulder where you want to really prove you’re the best so that people don’t say “It was kind of a fluke” because that’s where I feel we’re at right now Chartier: I’m just so interested to see how it plays out 2024 at 10:26 PM UTCThe UFC women’s flyweight champion joined “The Ariel Helwani Show” to discuss her potential next opponent in the octagon The champ is here! (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) (Jeff Bottari via Getty Images)Ariel HelwaniUncrownedMarch 4 2025 at 1:00 PM UTC·1 min readWe're baaaaack Join Ariel Helwani and the Boys In The Back live on Uncrowned and YouTube at 1 p.m UK time for the latest edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show." Tuesday's lineup can be seen below ET: Valentina Shevchenko previews her UFC flyweight title defense against Manon Fiorot ET: UFC welterweight Oban Elliott returns to catch us up on his latest ET: Old friend Marc Raimondi of ESPN stops by to debate the biggest news in the combat world The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has handed GM Kirill Shevchenko a temporary 75-day suspension following last weekend's expulsion from the Spanish Team Chess Championship where two locked phones were found in a bathroom.  He has not responded to Chess.com's request for comment FIDE's Fair Play Commission has now confirmed in a statement that a preliminary investigation has begun and that the 22-year-old is suspended for 75 days until January 1.  Based on the preliminary investigation by FPL that established a prima facie case against GM Kirill Shevchenko EDC has suspended GM Shevchenko for a period of 75 days from today from any official activities as a player.  This means the grandmaster misses the European Chess Club Cup, that began in Serbia on Sunday. Shevchenko was scheduled to play for the top seeded SuperChess from Romania, but the team captain GM Ivan Sokolov is now listed in his place as a player He'll also miss the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York ending a day before the suspension runs out FIDE noted that the suspension "would not indicate that GM Shevchenko is guilty of a cheating offense" and that he is to be investigated "on the assumption of innocence."  submitted by FIDE Fair Play Commission Chair Yuri Garrett to Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) Chair Yolander Persaud is in line with FIDE’s Ethics and Disciplinary Code a player can be temporarily banned during an investigation if a strong initial case is made and such an action can be taken urgently without a formal hearing Persaud confirmed to Chess.com that they have opened a case but could not make further comments on the ongoing case Suspicions were initially raised after Shevchenko was reported to be spending an unusual amount of time away from the board the grandmaster said he was unwell and needed to visit the bathroom Despite a warning from the arbiter that the rules stated he had to ask for permission to leave the playing area The chief arbiter stated in his report that when he sent others to investigate it was found Shevchenko visited a cubicle in which they later found a phone with a note reading This phone has been left so the owner can answer it at night!” That cubicle was then locked and Shevchenko was later said to have been observed going to the bathroom and waiting for that particular cubicle when other options were available.   Since Chess.com first reported on the incident, the Romanian Chess Federation has published a statement in support of Shevchenko while expressing their commitment to ensure fair play “We have proven over the years that we take all anti-cheating rules very seriously and will continue to do so serious allegations must be backed up by solid evidence only circumstantial evidence has been made public,” the statement said with Merab Dvalishvili dethroning Sean O’Malley in the main event after Valentina Shevchenko earned her revenge over Alexa Grasso to re-capture gold Now that both ‘The Bullet’ and Alexa Grasso have secured their place in the history books with the first-ever UFC women’s trilogy fight attention quickly turns to what could be next for the newly minted familiar face sitting atop the flyweight tree After their 2023 rematch ended in a controversial draw, Valentina Shevchenko recaptured her flyweight title at UFC 306 with a dominant performance under the bright lights of The Sphere, with the scorecards reading 50-45 Aside from a few submission attempts from the Mexican superstar, Shevchenko’s win never really looked in doubt as she went 8-for-12 on takedowns scored 16 minutes of control time and out-struck Grasso 45-18 on significant strikes Yet with that rivalry now 1-1 (plus one draw) could there be room for a history-making fourth fight between Grasso and Shevchenko Speaking with Megan Olivi via the ESPN MMA YouTube channel after UFC 306 came to its conclusion the new UFC flyweight champion was quick to push back on the idea of facing Alexa Grasso for a fourth time “I don’t think a fourth fight [against Grasso] is what people really want to see I kind of feel like they are ready to move a little bit on from that “I’m the fighter who’s been in this business for a long time and I am ready to fight anyone,” explained Shevchenko who then acknowledged that there’s a ‘Beast’ hailing from France who has been patiently waiting for her shot “I know that Manon Fiorot has been waiting on the line for a long time already… I am the fighter who is ready to fight anywhere Manon Fiorot is currently the #2 ranked flyweight in the world is on an outstanding 14-fight winning streak and actually weighed in as the backup fighter for the UFC 306 co-main event “I am a fighter who every time, all of my career, I wanted to fight with the best,” continued Shevchenko at the Noche UFC post-fight press conference: “To actually be the best you have to win [against] the best and this was my mindset but it’s very hard to say right now [what’s next] because it was super intense preparation for this fight not just physical but mental part is super hard as well “Every time you go to bed you think about what you have to do differently what technique you have to add to your game – and now finally ‘The Bullet’ can sleep easy knowing that there are also some interesting fights coming up soon in the flyweight division, including #3 ranked Erin Blanchfield taking on former champion Rose Namajunas in November Shevchenko admitted that “it’s good to see new faces” in the title mix and that she’s looking forward to defending her title in this second-era of success: “I had a little delay on collecting my rubies from both sides Shevchenko climbs to 24-4-1 as a pro MMA athlete NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 14: Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan (R) reacts after defeating Alexa Grasso of Mexico (L) to win the Women's Flyweight title during UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche at Sphere on September 14 (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Farah HannounSeptember 15 2024 at 4:00 AM UTC·2 min readValentina Shevchenko is back on top of the flyweight throne 13-3-1 UFC) closed out her trilogy with Alexa Grasso (16-4-1 MMA 8-4-1 UFC) by landing eight takedowns en route to a decisive unanimous decision win The women's flyweight title bout was the UFC 306 co-main event at Sphere in Las Vegas Grasso kicked off the fight with a flurry as Shevchenko landed a solid counter left Shevchenko made Grasso pay again on the entry Shevchenko shot in for a takedown and got it Grasso continued to attack from the bottom by attempting a guillotine Shevchenko ended the round by taking Grasso's back Grasso got quite deep into an armbar attempt Grasso used it as an opportunity to get back up The first half of Round 3 played out on the feet with Shevchenko mixing in kicks to her offense Shevchenko took Grasso down and worked towards an arm-triangle choke She maintained control for the rest of the round Shevchenko found herself in trouble early in Round 4 as Grasso jumped into a deep guillotine choke Shevchenko escaped and worked towards an arm-triangle choke More control time for the challenger as she ended the round raining down punches in the crucifix position Desperation time for Grasso who was down big heading into the final round A Shevchenko takedown attempt was stuffed by Grasso "The Bullet" ended the fight with one more takedown After defending her flyweight title seven times in her first reign Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision (50-45 Diego Lopes def. Brian Ortega via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Esteban Ribovics def. Daniel Zellhuber via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Ronaldo Rodriguez def. Ode Osbourne via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27) Norma Dumont def. Irene Aldana via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Ignacio Bahamondes def. Manuel Torres via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:02 Ketlen Souza def. Yazmin Jauregui via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:02 Joshua Van def. Edgar Chairez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Raul Rosas Jr. def. Aori Qileng via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) UFC 306 social media reactions: Valentina Shevchenko's trilogy title win over Alexa Grasso leads to celebration of greatness UFC 306 live updates: Results, round-by-round coverage of every fight UFC 306 video: Hear from each winner, guest fighters backstage at Noche UFC UFC 306: Official scorecards from Noche UFC at Sphere in Las Vegas This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 306 results: Valentina Shevchenko outgrapples Alexa Grasso to regain flyweight title Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso Defends Her Title Against Valentina Shevchenko In The Co-Main Event At Riyadh Season Noche UFC At Sphere In Las Vegas Team Grasso middleweights Robert Valentin of Switzerland and Omran Chaaban of Finland earned their spots in the semifinals while Team Shevchenko’s Zyga Ramaska out-worked Bekhzod Usmonov in the latest featherweight matchup to move to the next round Canadian Tom Theocharis and American Ryan Loder face off to see who moves forward in the 185-pound tournament and one step closer to becoming the next Ultimate Fighter Usmonov and Ramaska return to the house and receive a round of applause from their housemates with everyone telling them what a great fight they had Ramaska acknowledged in an interstitial interview that he feels like he’s earned the respect of the other competitors now that they’ve seen him compete with Nathan Fletcher calling it one of the best fights he’s ever seen live in his life noting that Usmonov surprised a lot of people with his performance Ramaska says he’s fully healthy after his fight and that he’s “on his mission.” UFC CEO Dana White says he was so pumped up by the fight between Ramaska and Usmonov that he awards the competitors an off day and a chance to watch a UFC Fight Night event at the house Order UFC 304: Edwards vs Muhammad 2  which of course gets a response from the American featherweight and sipping from a bottle that turns out to contain an alcoholic beverage Fletcher is critical of his mindset and approach in the house speaks with a producer in an interstitial interview Ain’t nothing going on besides getting ready to train and get prepared for my fight.” Pavel Fedotov leads the team through a training session at the UFC Performance Institute where Loder gets partnered with Cooper Jr. who elbows him in the face without an elbow pad on drawing an immediate reaction from the middleweight How To Watch Season 32 Of The Ultimate Fighter  Loder gets upset and says he’s done working with Cooper Jr. leading to the two chirping back and forth before Shevchenko steps in The Team Shevchenko representatives keep bickering before the former flyweight queen finally stops training and gives them an earful for fighting amongst themselves and not maximizing training She wants to end the conflict in the moment so that it doesn’t continue or escalate later prompting the two to shake hands and end things White talks about how these things happen all the time on the show acknowledging the outstanding job done by Shevchenko to address the issue immediately and get it laid to bed without further issue is asked about the bottles lingering around the house by Valentin while Usmonov shares in an interstitial interview that he's stayed out of the situation because the two are training partners at Jackson-Wink MMA in New Mexico both in an effort to avoid being lumped in as someone not doing things the right way in the house and to show concern for his teammate acknowledges the support and comfort from his teammate and says he’s still focused on winning the competition Grasso leads Theocharis through his training ahead of his fight with Loder trying to keep him dialed in on what a difficult battle it could be Theocharis says the plan is to keep things standing and hopefully knock Loder out as his highlight reel begins The Niagara Top Team representative 9-5 overall and riding a three-fight winning streak that’s kind of how my fights go,” he says in a voiceover of two quick first-round finishes run “My strategy never changes: me delivering this fantastic knockout.” who says the Canadian has the most power of anyone in the house and says he’s trying to get Theocharis to trust his hands and let them go against Loder RELATED: Get To Know Theocharis  Grasso praises his coachability and activity in training suggesting he could do amazing things in the fight and competition Loder explains to Fletcher that he started MMA at age 29 transitioning into the sport after wrestling in college and coaching The 32-year-old from Sacramento’s home video begins with him having “the last summer” with his family with Loder discussing the ample outdoor opportunities Sacramento has to offer He started wrestling at four years old and used it to help drive him acknowledging his dyslexia and the amount of work it took to get through school Loder talks about wrestling collegiately at Northern Iowa pursuing his master’s and training for the 2016 Olympics before moving into a coaching role at San Francisco State got the invite for his team to train at Urijah Faber’s Ultimate Fitness and gets some motivational words and coaching from “The California Kid.” It was when he was coaching at the Team Alpha Male facility that he started to get the itch explaining that the relative newness of the sport and ability to innovate are elements that inspire and motivate him He gets emotional talking about serving as a role model for kids that are dealing with the same things he dealt with a youngster where the Shevchenko takes the group out on the lake as a way to relax and unwind after seeing all the tension that had built up in the last training session Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house Theocharis talks about the tattoo he has on his left forearm which is a sketch outline of the last photo he took of his late girlfriend rural community where hockey is obviously massive He praises his parents and shows off the title belt he won in the first fight he had after his girlfriend passed A video of them together begins and he talks about their relationship giving a cursory explanation of what happened to her without going into too much detail for obvious reasons He explains that one of the first people he called after her passing was Elias Theodorou who won the middleweight competition on TUF: Nations and fought in the UFC for several years before passing in 2022 following a battle with cancer UFC PARIS: Purchase Tickets | VIP Experiences  “Those two were the closest people in my life at that point,” he says as the footage shows him sitting near the water at home in Toronto I’m not as depressed anymore — I’m actually a very happy individual — but all of that has taken a lot of time to get to this point “I’ve had to speak with therapists to live a healthy lifestyle and know what makes me feel good,” he continues “What makes me feel good is competing in mixed martial arts I want you to know there is always hope — you just have to find something that inspires you to be a better person If you’re going through a traumatic experience Everyone has their own process; you just have to find what works for you and what makes you happy.” Shevchenko talks to Loder about his movement as he works the heavy bag with the middleweight explaining that he’s worked really hard at dealing with opponents throwing big shots The plan is to make sure Theocharis doesn’t land something big and then to take him to the canvas and wrestle His highlight reel kicks off with a win under the A1 Combat banner where he manhandled his opponent on the ground It’s more of the same in his BTC fight as well before things click back to Loder working at the PI “I know this is the most international season,” he says “and these guys are gonna taste what an All-American wrestler is.” The teams file into the UFC APEX as the middleweights step on the scale Loder comes in at 186 pounds first before Theocharis follows at the same weight White sets up the matchup — a classic “striker versus grappler” battle that is also a longstanding North American rivalry bout between Canada and the United States Now it’s time to figure out who will emerge victorious The combatants make their way to the UFC APEX and into their respective locker rooms getting taped and loose before getting set to make the walk to the cage They receive final instructions and reminders from their coaches in the back and head out to compete The All-American wrestler signaled that he didn’t want to touch gloves and put Theocharis on the canvas almost immediately peppering him with short punches before transitioning to mount he quickly sunk in an arm-triangle choke and drew out the tap One-way traffic for the Team Shevchenko middleweight Official Result: Ryan Loder defeats Tom Theocharis by submission (arm-triangle choke) in Round 1 This is how things go sometimes in these classic clashes of styles while Theocharis is understandably bummed out with how things went The final matchup in the 145-pound tournament is announced with Team Grasso’s Mairon Santos facing off with Edwin Cooper Jr Who will be the last semifinalist on the featherweight side of things The last two featherweights head into action looking to put the drama surrounding him this season to rest while Santos calls for a “first-round demolition” when the two hit the cage Undefeated Prospect Keen To Showcase Her Skills In Short-Notice Debut Against Ranked Flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius T