Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC)
Flyweight (125lbs): 5-0 (UFC), UFC Flyweight Champion
Bantamweight (135lbs): 3-2 (UFC), Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title Challenger
Valentina Shevchenko is a very special fighter. The first five fights of Shevchenko’s UFC career were in the bantamweight division, as were the majority of her fights outside of the promotion and while kickboxing.
Valentina had been competing in the women’s bantamweight division practically since her professional MMA career started back in 2003. Despite her 5’5″ height and 65.5″ frame most of her fights in combat sports, in general, have been in around 135lbs. Shevchenko began her amateur run with muay thai in 2006 and competed at 57kg (125.6lbs) up through 2008. However, in her amateur muay thai bouts that followed, she competed predominantly at 60kg (132lbs) and even at 63.5kg (139.5lbs) through 2015. And throughout her pro kickboxing career, Valentia has won the WKC K1 lightweight World Championship along with other championships at 60kg (132lbs). Before entering the UFC, Valentia had 11 bouts at bantamweight and just one at flyweight.
Valentina Shevchenko has looked largely unbeatable for the entity of her UFC career, with one exception: Amanda Nunes. Valentina took on Nunes in just her second UFC bout and lost a decision on the opening fight for the main card for UFC 196. She’d lose again in their rematch, this time with the bantamweight title on the line. Nunes has a longer reach than Valentina at 69″, stands at 5’8″, and is just a larger woman as she can make 145lbs. Valentia’s 21 month, 3-2 stint at 135lbs in the UFC paved the way for her move to 125lbs, with the emergence of the UFC’s Women’s Flyweight division in late 2017.
Valentina’s only other loss was outside of the UFC, 10 years ago, when she made her Untied States MMA debut against Liz Carmouche under the C3 Fight promotional banner. Shevchenko, who was 22 at the time, lost the fight by TKO (via doctor stoppage) to Carmouche who would go on to Challenge Ronda Rousey for the UFC Bantamweight Championship just three years later.
After Valentina’s brilliant first outing at 125lbs, she fought for and captured, the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship against Joanna Jerezejczyk at the end of 2018. Shevchenko has gone on to defend the flyweight belt three times. Including a brutal head kick finish against Jessica Eye, avenging her loss from nine years prior to Liz Carmouche, and a very technical finish of Katlyn Chookagian.
