Nicco Montano to Make First Flyweight Title Defense at UFC 228

Nicco Montano will make the first defense of her UFC flyweight title since winning the belt late last year, when she steps into the Octagon at UFC 228 on Sept.8 in Dallas, Texas.

Montano will put her belt on the line against Valentina Shevchenko in a bout that has building for several months, while Montano sat on the sidelines recuperating from injury. The bout was announced by UFC officials on Wednesday.

Montano (4-2) won the belt at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale on Dec. 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. She navigated a minefield of top contenders that included Lauren Murphy, Montana Stewart, and Barb Honchak, before ultimately defeating late-replacement Roxanne Modafferi for the belt. She was initially supposed to have fought Sijara Eubanks, who had to pull out of the fight with kidney failure while attempting to make weight.

This article first appeared at News – MMAWeekly.com