Amanda Nunes hints at UFC 212 showdown with Valentina Shevchenko

When Valentina Shevchenko submitted Julianna Pena with a second-round armbar back in January, she earned herself a crack at Amanda Nunes and the UFC women’s bantamweight title. While the Kyrgyzstani fighter’s title shot has been confirmed, however, the date and location of this fight are still not known.

On Sunday evening, Nunes dropped a serious hint to that end, taking to Twitter and asking Shevchenko if she’ll see her on June 3.

https://twitter.com/Amanda_Leoa/status/841253694981169153

June 3 is the date of UFC 212. Given that this card will go down in Rio de Janeiro, in Nunes’ native Brazil, it makes a good deal of sense as the location of her next title defense. While nothing is confirmed at the moment, it seems likely that UFC 212 will be where Nunes and Shevchenko’s title fight occurs.

Nunes and Shevchenko are plenty familiar with each other. Back in March of 2016, they battled for three competitive rounds, with Nunes ultimately being awarded a unanimous decision win. From there, Nunes went on to submit Miesha Tate to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title, and knock Ronda Rousey senseless in less than a minute to retain that title. Currently on a 5-fight win-streak, she is 14-4 overall.

Shevchenko, meanwhile, rebounded from her competitive loss to Nunes with a decision defeat of former champion Holly Holm, and more recently, her impressive submission defeat of Pena. She’s currently 14-2 in sum.

UFC 212 will be headlined by a featherweight title fight between undisputed champion Jose Aldo and interim champion Max Holloway. Other highlights of the card confirmed so far are a strawweight bout between recent title challengers Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Claudia Gadelha, and a bantamweight bout between Johnny Eduardo and Matthew Lopez. MMA legend Vitor Belfort has also expressed interest in retiring on this June card.

Who do you think wins Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko’s rematch? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/13/2017.