The first round began and they touch gloves. Nunes misses a leg kick. Crowd singing. Nunes lands a body kick. 4:00. Lots of hopping and circling. Hmm. Boos, Nunes lands a leg kick. And another. Nunes lands a leg kick. Nunes lands a partially blocked high kick. 3:00. Nunes lands a leg kick. She's settling in. Nunes lands a leg kick. Nunes lands a right. And a nice leg kick. Nunes lands an inside kick and a left. 2:00. Nunes lands a leg kick. Nunes misses a wheel kick, telegraphed it. Boos. 1:00. Nunes lands a body kick, clinch, Nunes gets a trip to guard. Rights to body. 35. Nunes lands a big right elbow. 15. Nunes lands a big right and another. Shevchenko sweeps her and they stand, Nunes gets a trip as R1 ends, 10-9 Nunes. Nunes all smiles in her corner.
R2 began. Shevchenko lands a counter right, eats a body kick, lands one herself. Nunes lands a leg kick. Nunes lands a body kick, dodges an illegal soccer kick after slipping, lands on top in guard, 4:00. Nunes passes to half-guard. Three left hammerfists. Rights to body. Three left hammerfists. Left elbow. Three left hammerfists. Left elbow. 3:00. Rogan wants that guard passed. Nunes lands a left elbow. Two more and a right. Knee on belly, left elbow. Another. Two more. Another misses. Shevchenko bleeding, eats a right and a left, left elbow. Big left elbow, another. A right under. Side control. Shevchenko is standing. Nunes trips her back to half-guard, 2:00. Right elbow. A big one. Another. Lot of blood. A right elbow, right hand, right elbow. A right. A right elbow. Two more rights. Nunes passes to side control. Knee on belly, takes back, both hooks, 1:00. Body triangle. Has the choke on the chin. Shevchenko fighting it, 1:00. Escapes. Nunes works for another. Shevchenko fighting it half-heartedly. 35. Nunes adjusting. Has it under the neck, cranks it. Shevchenko is toughing it out. Nunes loses it. 15. Shevchenko turns to guard. Wow. Nunes works rubber guard working towards a triangle, R2 ends, crowd roars, 10-8 Nunes IMO regardless. Cut over Valentina's left eye. "Just keep it standing Valentina, be very aggressive, pick up the pace."
R3 began. Shevchenko sprawls a double, knees the body, hard left elbow, reverses a trip on top to side control, crowd roars. Rogan and Goldie both think the elbow stunned her though. Shevchenko lands as right elbow. Another. Three right hammerfists, crowd roars. 4:00. Pins the arm, lands two rights, right elbow, cranking for an americana too possibly. Two right elbows. Nunes kicks her off, they break, crowd roars. 3:00. Valentina stuffs a single, knees the body then head. Valentina lands a left. Walking her down. Misses a spinning strike, knees the head. Headlock, lefts under. Nunes touching the ground, eating lefts under. Valentina breaks with a right. 2:00. Valentina lands a counter left. Rogan says she needs a finish. I agree. Nunes lands an inside kick. Valentina stuffs a single, knees the body. Valentina knees the body. 1:00. Valentina lands an inside kick, eats one herself. 35. Valentina lands a Superman left to the body. Valentina lands a left. 15. Another left. Knees the body, stuffs a trip faceplanting Nunes, rights under, R3 ends, 10-8 Shevchenko IMO, Nunes had nothing for her. I see it as a 28-28 draw, really odd but pretty good fight.. I expect majority decision for Nunes. 29-28, 29-27 twice UD for Nunes. Nunes dedicates the fight to her teammates. Said this was the first time she had gone three rounds. Said she talked to Miesha and they agreed to fight for the title if Miesha wins. Nunes asks Dana and Sean Shelby for the title fight either way. Something tells me she didn't earn it.