In 2019, former UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko delivered a devastating head kick that left both her opponent, Jessica Eye, and the referee was shook.
Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko is widely regarded as one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time. With a background in Muay Thai, Shevchenko’s striking skills have been a key part of her success. She became the flyweight champion in 2018 and went on to successfully defend her title seven times.
Despite losing her title to Alexa Grasso, Shevchenko was chosen to be front face of UFC 5 video game earlier this month
One of her most famous knockouts came against Jessica Eye at UFC 238 in December 2018 in Chicago. Shevchenko had already dominated the first round, but it was the beginning of the second round that produced the highlight. Shevchenko unleashed a head kick that caught Eye by surprise, as she initially thought it was a body kick.
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The head kick landed flush on Eye’s head, instantly rendering her unconscious. Referee Rob Madrigal wasted no time in waving off the fight, declaring Shevchenko the winner by second-round knockout.
The knockout was not only impactful but also left the referee, Rob Madrigal, visibly stunned. His facial expression, caught on camera, reflected his shock at the ferocity of the knockout. Madrigal even let out a sigh, further emphasizing the impact of the strike.
The clip of Madrigal’s reaction recently resurfaced online and quickly went viral, with fans sharing their thoughts on the referee’s shocked response.
Despite her dominance, Shevchenko suffered a defeat at the hands of Alexa Grasso in March. Grasso capitalized on Shevchenko’s mistake at the end of the fourth round, mounting her back and securing a submission victory. The two are set for a rematch, headlining UFC FN 227 on September 16 in Las Vegas.