Gallery Photos: Best of Valentina Shevchenko view 27 images

Valentina Shevchenko has beaten Joanna Jedrzejczyk multiple times before in striking-only bouts. She anticipates the same result when the pair meet for the vacant UFC women’s flyweight title at UFC 231 in December.

Shevchenko (15-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Jedrzejczyk (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) spent several years fighting on the same muay-Thai circuit and crossed paths in the ring three times. Shevchenko won all three matchups, the most recent of which took place in 2008. Now they will fight for a UFC championship belt, and “The Bullet” said she still carries confidence from her past encounters with Jedrzejczyk.

“Every experience is an experience, it doesn’t matter how long ago it was,” Shevchenko told MMAjunkie Radio. “We fought with Joanna in 2006, in 2007 and 2008 in World Championships. We fought in a weight class similar to 125 pounds. It’s 57 kg. We had our history. When I moved up to 60 kg, Joanna went on to win several World Championships. I know Joanna what her style is. I’ve seen her recent fights and everything. She’s a good fighter and a very high-level striker. But even in muay-Thai when we are fighting in stand-up fight, we do the same muay-Thai style, but we have different styles as well.”

UFC 231 takes place Dec. 8 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Shevchenko vs. Jedrzejczyk co-headlines the pay-per-view main card following prelims expected to air on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Although Shevchenko had greater success in muay-Thai, Jedrzejczyk’s accomplishments in MMA are on a different level. The Polish fighter was UFC strawweight champion for several years and recorded five title defenses in the weight class before dropping the gold to Rose Namajunas at UFC 217 in November. She will attempt to make history at UFC 231 by becoming the first female to win titles in two weight classes by moving up to 125 pounds.

Shevchenko, No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s pound-for-pound rankings, said she respects what No. 5-ranked Jedrzejczyk has achieved inside the octagon. However, she has no plans on letting her opponent add to her resume at her expense. Shevchenko considers herself the more diverse fighter and thinks that’s going to play a huge role in who leaves with the belt at UFC 231.

“In the close distance, the high distance I can use more weapons as well because I can throw turning kicks, spinning kicks – everything,” Shevchenko said. “This is the more advantage that I have. I have more wide techniques I can choose for her. I will prepare and it will be a good fight.”

Shevchenko, 30 said she has yet to figure out her training camp plans for UFC 231. She said she will likely bounce between Texas and Las Vegas, but she has also spent time in Colorado as well training with 115-pound champ Namajunas, who has two wins over Jedrzejczyk, 31.

Regardless, Shevchenko said she will be ready to fight at UFC 231, and she expects the contest to go forward without issue after the debacle that took place at UFC 228 earlier this month.

Shevchenko was supposed to challenge inaugural women’s flyweight champ Nicco Montano at UFC 228, but Montano withdrew from the fight on weigh-in day after being hospitalized with a bad weight cut. She was then stripped of the title, clearing the way for Shevchenko to fight Jedrzejczyk for the vacant strap.

Although Shevchenko has faced disappointment in the past with title fights falling out, she said she doesn’t have any of those concerns going into UFC 231, and that’s a major mental relief.

“I’m glad UFC came up with this decision because now we can be 100 percent sure that this fight will happen, because Joanna is professional,” Shevchenko said. “She will do everything right to prepare for the fight. I can be more relaxed without thinking, ‘Oh, maybe it will be someone else at the final minute, my opponent will drop out and they’ll have to find a replacement.’ Now I can be more relaxed preparing just exactly for Joanna.”

For more on UFC 231, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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