Valentina Shevchenko is an athlete, mixed martial arts fighter. 11-time world champion in Muay Thai, 3-time world champion in kickboxing and K1, 2-time world champion in MMA and 2-time winner of the World Martial Arts Games competes in the "UFC" in the lightest and lightest weight categories. She is the flyweight champion of the promotion.
Kyrgyz and Russian athlete Valentina Anatolyevna Shevchenko won the world championships 16 times. However, a charming girl and a strong fighter, she is also a great dancer and professional shooter.
Preparing for victories
The biography of the athlete began on March 7 in Frunze. The future champion was born in 1988. From the age of five, the baby began to go to the taekwondo section. Her mentor was the coach Pavel Fedotov. The athlete owes all her successes and the fact that she has become a strong personality. Shevenko has repeatedly admitted this in an interview.
Valentina's sister Antonina also chose a sports career. She became the world champion in martial arts. She also trained with Fedotov.
The girls' mother was the head of the Kyrgyz Thai Boxing Federation. The woman possessed third dan in taekwondo. Valentina was engaged in Thai boxing and kickboxing before starting her collaboration with the UFC. She has won 16 awards at world tournaments. Previously, the girl lived in Russia. She trained in the capital, but moved after being invited to Peru.
The reason for the move was the lack of strong rivals. In a previously unknown country, Shevchenko was fascinated by everything. The athlete especially liked the fact that women's fights in Peru are in unusual demand. The girls who practice them are extremely popular.
Successful start
The debut in MMA took place in 2003. Before the first fight, Valentina received the nickname Bullet from the coach. Under this name, the athlete later became famous. Twice, in 2003 and 21005, Shevchenko got to the very top of the podium, becoming the world champion. She was defeated by an experienced rival Liz Carmush. After losing to her in the first round, Valentina lost her right to participate in the next.
In her career, the athlete took a break. The girl started kickboxing. She quickly reached the top. Received "gold" at the next competition, Valya returned to the ring. The next level came with two TKO wins and resounding success in Legacy Fighting. Shevchenko was offered a lucrative contract with the largest UFC MMA promotion.
The debut went great. In her first fight, the girl defeated the strong and experienced Sarah Kaufmann, the former Strikeforce champion. Then there was a defeat by Amanda Nunez, but then there was a victory in a battle with Holly Holm. This fight brought Valentina the UFC bantamweight title. After receiving the honorary belt, Shevchenko managed to make a short trip to Kyrgyzstan.
In the homeland of Valentina, MMA is called "the number one sport." The girl was touched by the warm welcome and meeting with the President of the country. She admitted to the media that she now received an even greater incentive for new victories.
Private life
The athlete tells a little about her personal life. She does not seek to start a relationship, acquire a husband, a child, or create a family. The champion and the charming girl have a lot of fans; Valya received marriage proposals many times. However, no one was given a chance. Shevchenko goes to the intended goal, not being distracted by other tasks.
In addition to martial arts, Valentina has many other hobbies. The athlete received her famous nickname Bullet for a reason. She is serious about shooting. At the world championships, Valya won prestigious prizes. So, in 2013, at the next stage of the combat pistol shooting competitions in Peru, the girl became the second.
Later, she won bronze at the national championship, showing excellent possession of a Winchester, carbine, pistol. At the same time, the competition was held with men as well.
Another love is dancing. Shevchenko owes this hobby to her mother. The parent convincingly insisted that her daughter simply needed femininity. Therefore, Valentina began to attend appropriate classes. As a result, together with her sister, the champion not only learned to brilliantly perform flamenco, "gypsy" with a lezginka, but also teaches.
The works of the Shevchenko sisters are especially popular in South America. Especially in demand. Russian dances performed by girls at various holidays. The athlete has her own page on Instagram. Pictures with mom, sister, photos from training, rest often appear on it. At the same time, Valentina poses both in the most luxurious outfits and in a swimsuit.
Perspectives
Shevchenko's plans sometimes change through no fault of her. So, initially saturated with battles, 2018 turned into continuous cancellations of fights. It all started from the cancellation of the fight with Nico Mantano, who was hospitalized on the eve of the fight.
Then the fight with Yoanna Jędrzejczyk was canceled. The former dominant champion of the minimum division did not agree to postpone the date of the meeting. At the end of 2018, a meeting took place in the ring of both rivals. Valentina became the first women's flyweight champion in UFC history after the judges' decision to win over Jedrzejczyk.
Valentina did not believe in the sudden illness of her rival and made a statement in the press. She stated that Niko was deliberately avoiding the meeting, wanting to draw attention to her own person, and at the last moment to cancel the fights.
Valentina has already set a kind of record. She has only 3 defeats for 16 victories. Not a single meeting with rivals ended in a draw. In Puli's dreams, a rematch with Amanda Nunez.
June 8, 2019 at UFC 238 in Chicago, a meeting with American Jessica I. is scheduled. Shevchenko will have to defend his title for the first time.
