UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is living up to her promise to stay busy.
Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is set to put her title on the line for a second time in 2020 (and third time since August) when she meets Joanne Calderwood (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC 251 in June.
MMA Junkie verified both fighters have agreed to the matchup with a person close to the situation following an initial report from ESPN.com. The person requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to officially announce the fight.
UFC 251 is expected to take place June 6 with a main card that airs on pay-per-view. A location and venue for the event have yet to be announced.
Shevchenko, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA women’s flyweight rankings, is fresh off a dominant defense of her title against Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 247 this month. She won the fight by third-round TKO, pushing her record to an impressive 5-0 since moving down from bantamweight, where she only lost to champion Amanda Nunes.
No. 11-ranked Calderwood got her title shot with three wins in her past four fights. Her only loss in that stretch was a competitive decision against Chookagian, which was followed by a critical victory over Andrea Lee at UFC 242 in September.
The title fight between Shevchenko and Calderwood is the first reported addition to UFC 251.
