Nicco Montano vs. Valentina Shevchenko in the works for UFC Calgary main event
It’s official – the Ultimate Fighting Championship is making it’s long-awaited return to Calgary. The UFC made its debut in the city back at UFC 149 which was headlined by an interim bantamweight championship between Urijah Faber and Renan Barao back in 2012. Six years later, the promotion will make another appearance on July 28th. MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani has reported the UFC are targeting a flyweight title match up between reigning champion Nicco Montano and former bantamweight title challenger – Valentina Shevchenko. Montano became the inaugural champion in December after defeating Roxanne Modafferi at the Ultimate Fighting 26 finale with many fighters from both strawweight and bantamweight eyeing up a move to 125lbs. The division seems like a match made in heaven for Shevchenko who challenged Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight strap at UFC 215 but fell short. She made her successful debut in the flyweight division against Priscila Cachoeira in February in one of the most one-sided beatdowns in MMA history. Also featured in the Calgary card is Jose Aldo’s return to action against the surging Jeremy Stephens. It will be the first UFC fight in Aldo’s career that is not the main event or a title fight.