Valentina Shevchenko is a Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai fighter, who competes in the women’s Flyweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion. Her personal MMA record is 23-3-0 (W-L-D).
Valentina Shevchenko was born on March 7, 1988, in Frunze, Kirghiz SSR, Soviet Union. Her mother Elena Shevchenko is the president of Kyrgyzstan’s national Muay Thai association and a former multiple-time Muay Thai champion, which brought Valentina to this sport at an early age. At age 12 she branched out into Muay Thai kickboxing and then freestyle Vale Tudo. After winning dozens of Muay Thai and kickboxing honors, she turned to MMA.
Valentina Shevchenko made her professional MMA debut on April 21, 2003, at the KFK – Kyrgyz Federation of Kulatuu versus Eliza Aidaralieva. She won the fight via TKO in the second round.
She had another first in the same year, versus Mi Choi Kim at WXF – X-Impact World Championships 2003, which won via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
Valentina Shevchenko registered another victory versus Erkesh Kokoeva at the KFK – Kyrgyz Federation of Kulatuu via TKO in the first round.
In 2015, she had three professional MMA fights and registered three wins, keeping her unbeaten series. She won versus Alla Iskarenova and Roza Kalieva at the KFP – Kazakhstan Federation of Pankration, and also against Kyung Aeh Kim at WXF – X-Impact World Championships 2005 via armbar submission.
On March 3, 2006, Valentina Shevchenko registered another win versus Yulia Nemtsova at the PFF – Professional Free Fight via Ezekiel choke submission in the second round.
She withdrew from MMA for some years to focus on her Muay Thai and kickboxing career. From 2003 to 2015, Shevchenko collectively won more than 90 amateur/pro matches in K-1, Muay Thai and kickboxing. Valentina Shevchenko won 8 gold medals (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014) when she competed in the IFMA world championships, as well as the IMFA Royal World Cup in 2015. During these competitions. She was considered one of the best Muay Thai fighters all the time.
Valentina Shevchenko returned to the MMA on September 30, 2010, versus Liz Carmouche at C3 Fights – Red River Rivalry. She lost the fight via TKO in the second round.
On April 30, 2011, she returned on the winning road and took the victory versus Akjarkyn Baiturbaeva at the KF-1 – MMA World Competition.
Valentina Shevchenko registered two more wins in 2013 and 2014 versus Priscila Orellana and Hellen Bastos at the Fusion Fighting Championship, as well as one victory in 2015 versus Jan Finney at the Legacy Fighting Championship.
Valentina Shevchenko made her UFC debut on December 19, 2015, as a short-notice replacement for Germaine de Randamie against Sarah Kaufman at UFC on Fox 17. She won the fight via split decision.
On March 5, 2015, Valentina Shevchenko registered her second professional loss versus Amanda Nunes at the UFC 196 – McGregor vs Diaz.
However, she returned with two consecutive wins at the main events versus Holly Holm at the UFC on Fox 20 – Holm vs Shevchenko and versus Julianna Pena at the UFC on Fox 23 – Shevchenko vs Pena.
On September 9, 2017, Valentina Shevchenko faced Amanda Nunes in a rematch at the UFC 215 and lost the fight via a split decision.
In September 2017, Valentina Shevchenko revealed plans to join the 125-pound flyweight division. Her debut in the division was on February 3, 2018 versus Priscila Cachoeira at the UFC Fight Night 125 – Machida vs. Anders and won via rear-naked choke submission.
Valentina Shevchenko face Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the UFC 231 – Holloway vs. Ortega in December 2018 for the bout about the UFC Flyweight title. The Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian professional mixed martial artist won the fight via unanimous decision and won the title.
In the first defense of her UFC flyweight title, Valentina Shevchenko faced Jessica Eye in the co-main event at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019. She won the bout via KO in the second round.
On August 10, 2019, Valentina Shevchenko fought versus Liz Carmouche at the UFC Fight Night 156 – Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2. She won the fight via unanimous decision.
In 2020, she had two fights in the UFC and extended the winning series. Valentina Shevchenko won her fight versus Katlyn Chookagian at the UFC 247 – Jones vs. Reyes and versus Jennifer Maia at the UFC 255 – Figueiredo vs. Perez.
In 2021, she defended her title twice versus Jessica Andrade at the UFC 261 – Usman vs. Masvidal 2 and versus Lauren Murphy at the UFC 266 – Volkanovski vs. Ortega.
The last fight of Valentina Shevchenko was versus Taila Santos at the UFC 275 – Teixeira vs. Prochazka and she won via split decision.
Valentina Shevchenko photos
