Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Anatolievna Shevchenko (b. 7 March 1988) is a Kyrgyzstan-Peruvian professional mixed martial artist and ex-Muay Thai fighter.
She is currently competing in Flyweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The current UFC Women's Flyweight Champion. Shevchenko championed UFC 231 after defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk. Fellow UFC fighter Antonina Shevchenko's younger sister. As of 23 November 2020, she ranks #2 in UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings
Early life and personal life
Shevchenko was born to a Ukrainian family in Frunze, Kyrgyzstan, on March 7, 1988. In an interview she characterised herself as "Russian" and her native tongue is Russian.
Her family held Soviet citizenship, later Kyrgyzstani. Her mother, Elena Shevchenko, is the president of Kyrgyzstan's Muay Thai National Association and a former multi-time Muay Thai champion.
Her father, Anatoly Shevchenko, served three years in Soviet Navy's Pacific Fleet during the Cold War.
After getting interested in fighting sports at an early age, Valentina started Taekwondo at age 5, under the influence of her older sister Antonina and her mother, both participating in the sport.
She joined Muay Thai kickboxing at age 12 and later freestyle Vale Tudo. Her kickboxing career began in 2000 when she knocked out a 22-year-old opponent at age 12, earning her the moniker "Bullet" from her teacher Pavel Fedotov due of her ring speed.
She flew with Fedotov and Antonina to Peru in 2007, where they became martial arts teachers, and Fedotov eventually relocated his team permanently. She got Peruvian citizenship in 2008 and fluently speaks Russian, English and Spanish.
Shevchenko graduated from Kyrgyz Republic National Academy of Arts in Film Directing.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov bestowed the Dank Order in April 2019.
During her first seven-year return to Kyrgyzstan, Jeenbekov complimented Shevchenko's contribution in her profession, stating she "defended our Kyrgyzstan's honour." Valentina and Antonina set UFC history by becoming the first sisters on the same fight card at UFC 255
Muay Thai and kickboxing
From 2003 to 2015, Shevchenko won over 50 amateur/pro battles in K-1, Muay Thai and kickboxing (five were won by technical knockout, three were won by knockout).
She got her first kickboxing loss when she fought Debby Urkens (WFCA) in 2008 and her second against Cong Wang in 2015.
Shevchenko earned 8 gold medals (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014) at the IFMA World Championships and the 2015 IMFA Royal World Cup.
Shevchenko defeated future UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk three times and future UFC competitor Lina Länsberg once. Shevchenko is regarded the world's top female Muay Thai fighter.
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