Valentina Shevchenko vs Joanne Calderwood added to June 6 UFC show

🇦🇺 WE’RE HEADED BACK TO PERTH! @BulletValentina and @DRkneevil journey to Australia for #UFC251! https://t.co/UocfFo1z8h pic.twitter.com/HGWRUD4Y9Y

— UFC (@ufc) February 25, 2020

Last week Brett Okamoto of ESPN reported that Valentina Shevchenko will defend her UFC Flyweight Championship against Joanne Calderwood on UFC 251. Yesterday the UFC announced that this show will be June 6 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Though it might seem that Valentina might be unbeatable right now, I think it has more to do with the weak quality of the current crop of contenders. Joanne is a decent fighter. But I don't think she is any better than those who have already fought Valentina. Joanne's big problem is consistency. She is 34 years old from Scotland but she now trains at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas with John Wood. Her record is 14-4. Like Valentina, Joanne is a kickboxer but she's not as good as Valentina. Last year she looked good winning over the highly touted Ariane Lipsky. If she had beaten Katlyn Chookagian in her next fight, she would have gotten a title shot. But she lost and that title shot went to Liz Carmouche. Joanne beat Andrea Lee by split decision in her last fight. Normally that wouldn't get her a title shot. But she's getting it by default because the other ranked fighters have either gotten a title shot and failed or they aren't as good as Joanne. So we're in a holding pattern. While we are waiting for someone to be a credible challenger, Valentina is constantly asked about fighting outside her weight class.