By the Numbers: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Liz Carmouche

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Valentina Shevchenko has looked phenomenal since returning to flyweight, capturing Ultimate Fighting Championship gold and defending it once. On Aug. 10 in Montevideo, Uruguay, she will look to defend the belt once again; this time against a familiar opponent in Liz Carmouche.

“Girl-Rilla” forced a TKO retirement the first time they met, so expect the current champion to come out prepared when they engage a second time at UFC Fight Night 156. Get some insight on their upcoming title showdown through the numbers below.

Current winning streak

After losing in a rematch with Amanda Nunes in 2017, Shevchenko piled up three consecutive victories at flyweight, submitting Priscila Cachoeira, decisioning Joanna Jedrzejczyk and knocking out Jessica Eye. Her stoppage of Cachoeira and Eye both came in round two.

Carmouche has been doing well herself, winning two straight after her hotly contested split decision loss to Alexis Davis. It also marked the second time they fought, with Carmouche also dropping the first. But since then, she has compiled decision wins over Jennifer Maia and Lucie Pudilova.

Championship experience

Shevchenko has fought for the title three times in her career, and all were in the UFC. Fighting at bantamweight, she challenged Nunes for the title at UFC 215 and lost a split decision. She then dropped back to flyweight and defeated Cachoeira to set up a showdown with Jedrzejczyk for the vacant flyweight strap. She won the fight and later defended the belt against Eye at UFC 238.

Carmouche is no stranger to title fights either. Before her historic women’s bantamweight championship fight with Ronda Rousey, “Girl-Rilla” had engaged in a title bout at Strikeforce, but unfortunately lost to Marloes Coenen. She is yet to win a title fight, but will be looking to change that in Montevideo.

Octagon appearances

Both fighters are UFC veterans, with Carmouche having only one Octagon appearance more than Shevchenko. The former started her UFC career with that fight against Rousey on Feb. 23, 2013 at UFC 157, in which she lost by first-round armbar. She has since collected a record of 5-4, with victories over Jessica Andrade, Lauren Murphy, Katlyn Chookagian, and most recently, Maia and Pudilova. That’s nine Octagon appearances for the Team Hurricane Awesome standout.

After eight UFC bouts, Shevchenko has gathered a 6-2 ledger. She debuted opposite Sarah Kaufman on Dec. 19, 2015 at UFC on Fox 17, winning by split decision. Her other triumphs came at the expense of Holly Holm, Julianna Peña, and most recently, Cachoeira, Jedrzejczyk and Eye.

Finishing rate

Shevchenko prides of a 70 percent stoppage rate, which is just a little higher than Carmouche’s record of 61 percent. “Bullet” owns seven wins by submission and five by KO or TKO. Carmouche, on the other hand, holds two wins by submission and six by KO or TKO.

Career losses

Since turning pro in 2010, Carmouche has suffered six defeats, which came at the hands of Miesha Tate, Rousey, Kaufman, Coenen and Davis twice. Meanwhile, Shevchenko has only lost three times since debuting professionally in 2003. Her first fight with Carmouche ended with a TKO doctor stoppage while she has also been decisioned by Nunes on two occasions.