Shevchenko Opens As Massive Favorite Over ‘JoJo’

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No disrespect intended for veteran flyweight Joanne Calderwood, but I didn’t see anything in her unanimous decision loss to Katlyn Chookagian or her split-decision win over Andrea Lee that would leave me in a position to pick her over reigning division champion, Valentina Shevchenko.

It seems the bookies agree.

I don’t want to say “Bullet” has been dominant at 125 pounds, but the former bantamweight might become the first professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter in history to be arrested for attempted murder simply for doing her job.

“Martial arts, for me, is not just some kind of job to gain some money or whatever,” Shevchenko told Bleacher Report. “No. Martial arts, for me, is my lifestyle, my religion, my philosophy. Martial arts are everything for me.”

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise to learn that Shevchenko is the -1200 favorite against Calderwood, who clocks in as the +800 underdog for their UFC 251 pay-per-view (PPV) fight on June 6 in a city to be determined.

Go ahead and put your wallets away.