Shevchenko KO’s Eye with head kick to keep title

CHICAGO — Valentina Shevchenko‘s first title defense ended in highlight-reel fashion.

Shevchenko blasted challenger Jessica Eye with a left head kick at 26 seconds of the second round that knocked Eye out cold in the co-main event of UFC 238 on Saturday night at the United Center. Shevchenko successfully retained the UFC women’s flyweight title with the spectacular knockout.

Eye was down and unconscious for about a minute afterward and when she came to she was unaware of what had happened.

The only other head kick knockout in a women’s UFC title fight was by Holly Holm when she defeated Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 in 2015.

Shevchenko landed two takedowns in the first round and completely dominated the first five minutes in top position. Near the end of the round, Shevchenko went for a kimura submission, but Eye managed to escape and survive until the bell.

The second round was not even a minute old when Shevchenko went for a left kick, making it seem like it would be going to Eye’s body. It went to the head instead and Eye was not prepared for it. The blow landed and Eye was out immediately, falling over to the canvas.

Shevchenko (17-3) has won three straight and her only losses in the UFC came against Amanda Nunes, who holds the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight titles. The Kyrgyzstan native had not scored a TKO/KO before now in her UFC career. Shevchenko, 31, is the sixth fighter in UFC championship history to notch a head-kick knockout.

Eye (14-7, 1 NC) had her three-fight winning streak snapped. The 32-year-old Cleveland native had not lost since moving down to flyweight from bantamweight.