Las Vegas – The new UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko had been saying that she didn’t need the title to feel like a champion in the weeks leading up to her victory over Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC on Saturday night.
Shevchenko (24-4-1) admitted in her post-fight scrum that she did indeed miss being champion.
“Of course! Let’s be fair, let’s say truths. When we are joining the big promotions and what is our goal of any fighter? It’s to become champion. To hold the belt,” Shevchenko told Cageside Press.
“When someone loses the belt it’s kind of like, ‘ok I cannot get it back’. That’s why I said it’s not about the belt, it’s about something different, but let’s say truth. Every time it was about the belt. Every time it was to win and be the champion.”
The long time flyweight queen once again sits on her throne except now she has a few challengers to pick from.
“I had little delay on collecting my rubies from both sides,” she said with a laugh referring to the rubies that the UFC now adds to champions belts instead of giving them a new belt every single time they defend.
“I’m back to work.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Valentina Shevchenko above.
