Ronda Rousey loss to Amanda Nunes 'wasn't a surprise' for UFC 213's Valentina Shevchenko

Ronda Rousey's brutal loss to Amanda Nunes came as no surprise to number one women's bantamweight contender Valentina Shevchenko.

Rousey (12-2 record in MMA) had set the bar for the division ever since its inception, comprehensively defeating every 135-pounder until she suffered her first defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November 2015.

She would return only after a year where she would face the current champion in Nunes (14-4 record in MMA) at UFC 207 in December 2016.

However, "Rowdy" went on to lose via TKO in a one-sided 48-second match where the Brazilian unloaded with a series of punches.

The manner of the defeat did not surprise Shevchenko — next in line to face Nunes as they will meet at the main event of UFC 213 on 8 July — who believes Rousey had a lot of work to do outside of her takedown and submission game.

"That wasn't a surprise for me," Shevchenko (14-2 record in MMA) said, as quoted on Bloody Elbow. "Ronda has good takedowns and submissions, but she needs to work on her distance [to throw punches]."

"Amanda saw that advantage and we saw the results."

The Kyrgyzstan native also spoke about Nunes and their altercation at the UFC summer kickoff press conference, with the duo needing to be separated.

"I think that her nerves are at the point of exploding," Shevchenko added. "[Nunes] didn't endure the pressure of the press conference. She acted like a crazy woman who can't control her nerves."

Shevchenko suffered her first defeat in the UFC to Nunes via unanimous decision, losing the first two rounds before finishing the fight on top.

Speaking to IBTimes UK in April before the fight was confirmed, Shevchenko claimed things will go differently this time.

"[It's a] new fight, it's new history," she explained. "So from the last fight, me and my team have made all [our] conclusions, so I am just waiting for the time and date to put everything in action."

"I know that she will put all her power in very first round. But I will too. The difference is that even if I will put everything in the beginning, I can manage my power till the end."