Shevchenko’s UFC 306 Comments and Missed Opportunity
Shevchenko regained the flyweight title at UFC 306. Chael Sonnen urged her to call out Fiorot; she beat Fiorot and Zhang, then vacated the belt.
Sonnen’s criticism
After the win, Shevchenko spoke about the trilogy bout and her return to the championship. Sonnen said she missed a promotional opportunity by not mentioning Fiorot, then a leading contender. His comments were an analyst’s view of how a champion could build interest in a future fight, rather than an official requirement or a judgment on Shevchenko’s performance. The UFC’s post-fight interview records what Shevchenko said after the win.
Shevchenko’s victory over Grasso was unanimous, with all three judges scoring it 50–45. The UFC’s event results record the decision and scorecards.
What happened next
Fiorot did become Shevchenko’s next opponent. Shevchenko beat her by unanimous decision at UFC 315 in May 2025, then defeated Zhang Weili at UFC 322 in November 2025. After Shevchenko vacated the title in September 2026 because of an injury, Natalia Silva beat Wang Cong to win the vacant belt at UFC 332 on October 3. The UFC’s official Shevchenko profile lists her wins and title history; the UFC 332 scorecards record Silva’s title win.
In hindsight, Sonnen’s suggested matchup happened, though the UFC—not a post-fight callout—made the booking. Shevchenko went on to defend her title before the injury-related vacancy.
