Paige Van Zant following second round submission win over Rachael Ostovich at UFC Fight Night 143: Bring on Valentina Shevchenko

There's an old saying that goes: "Be careful what you wish for". This may be the case for Paige Van Zant following her second round submission win over Rachael Ostovich at UFC Fight Night 143 as she boldly stated in a post-fight interview:

"Bring on Valentina Shevchenko."

Many thought that it was an audacious statement to make seeing that Shevchenko is the reigning Flyweight Champion who has had two very impressive wins in that the Division to become the Champion and who is the only woman to go the distance with reigning Bantamweight and Flyweight Champion Amanda Nunes since Cat Zingano defeated the Brazilian back in 2011.

Asked if she thought that such a statement was a rash one to make seeing that Shevchenko is a highly competitive and dangerous fighter with a strong Muay Thai background and who was a multiple time world champion in both that combat sport and Kickboxing before winning her first UFC MMA title last year with a dominating performance against former Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Van Zant replied:

"That doesn't intimidate me one bit. I deserve a title shot. In order to be the best you have to compete against and beat the best. I am hoping that she takes up my offer and gives me my chance to challenge her. I am of the view that Dana should make this matchup happen before year's end."

Contacted to get her response, Shevchenko said:

"Is Paige planning to have another career in the comedy business? That fight with Paige and Rachel was one of the worst matches I have seen in a long time. Paige was lucky to get that submission win. And now she wants a piece of me? What a joke. Paige should realize that the Flyweight Division is not the jokey Division that the Strawweight Division which she came from is. But if she really wants to fight that's fine by me. I'll take her on in my first title defense."

She concluded:

"Paige might be "12 Gauge" but I'm the "Bullet" and it's the "Bullet" that does all the damage."