History of Valentina Shevchenko in Timeline
Valentina Shevchenko, born in 1988, is a Kyrgyz and Peruvian professional mixed martial artist, former Muay Thai fighter, and kickboxer. She competes in the UFC's women's Flyweight division, where she is a two-time and current champion. She is the first Kyrgyz and Peruvian fighter to win a UFC championship. As of September 2024, she holds the #1 spot in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
March 7, 1988: Valentina Shevchenko's Birth
On March 7, 1988, Valentina Anatolyevna Shevchenko was born. She would later become a renowned mixed martial artist, Muay Thai fighter, and kickboxer.
2000: Kickboxing Career Start
In 2000, at the age of 12, Valentina Shevchenko began her kickboxing career and earned the moniker "Bullet" after knocking out a 22-year-old opponent.
April 21, 2003: Professional MMA Debut
On April 21, 2003, at the age of 15, Valentina Shevchenko made her professional debut in mixed martial arts at Kyrgiz Federation of Kulatuu against Eliza Aidaralieva, winning by TKO in the second round.
2003: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2003, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, marking one of her many achievements in the competition.
2006: Firearms Training
In 2006, Shevchenko began her firearms training under Pavel Fedotov.
2006: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2006, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, adding to her accolades in Muay Thai.
2007: Relocation to Peru
In 2007, Valentina Shevchenko traveled to Peru with Pavel Fedotov and Antonina, where they started teaching martial arts. Fedotov eventually relocated his team to Peru permanently.
2007: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2007, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, demonstrating her continued dominance in the sport.
2008: Peruvian Citizenship
In 2008, Valentina Shevchenko gained Peruvian citizenship, adding to her identity as a Kyrgyz athlete.
2008: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2008, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, and she also received her first loss in kickboxing against Debby Urkens.
2009: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2009, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, further solidifying her reputation as a top Muay Thai fighter.
September 30, 2010: US MMA Debut and First Loss
On September 30, 2010, Valentina Shevchenko made her US debut against Liz Carmouche at C3 Fights, suffering her first loss due to a controversial doctor stoppage.
2010: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2010, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, marking another successful year in her Muay Thai career.
2010: Pistol Shooting Competitions
Since 2010, Shevchenko has regularly competed in IPSC, IDPA, and 3-Gun pistol shooting competitions.
January 14, 2012: WIBA Lightweight Championship Title Fight
On January 14, 2012, Shevchenko was scheduled to face Mary McGee for the vacant WIBA Lightweight championship title in Lima, Peru, but withdrew from the match later that month.
2012: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2012, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, continuing her streak of success in the competition.
2013: Combate Reality Show Winner
In 2013, Shevchenko participated in the fourth season of the Peruvian dance competition reality show Combate. She won the competition with her partner Alejandro “Zumba” Benitez and also won an exhibition wrestling match against David Zegarra.
2013: Return to MMA with Fusion FC
In 2013, Valentina Shevchenko returned to MMA under Fusion FC, securing two TKO wins within two months.
2014: Signed with Legacy FC
In 2014, Valentina Shevchenko signed with Legacy FC for both MMA and kickboxing.
2014: IFMA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2014, Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA World Championships, showcasing her consistent performance and skill.
2014: Muaythai Spirit of Sport Award
In 2014, the "Sport is Your Gang" initiative, for which Shevchenko served as an ambassador, won the Muaythai Spirit of Sport Award.
February 27, 2015: Victory at Legacy FC 39
On February 27, 2015, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Jan Finney at Legacy Fighting Championship 39 via unanimous decision.
2015: Elected into IFMA Executive Board
In 2015, Shevchenko was elected into the IFMA executive board as a representative of the organization's athletic commission.
2015: IMFA Royal World Cup Win and Kickboxing Loss
In 2015, Valentina Shevchenko won the IMFA Royal World Cup, however, she also experienced her second loss in kickboxing against Cong Wang.
March 5, 2016: Loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 196
On March 5, 2016, Valentina Shevchenko faced Amanda Nunes at UFC 196, losing by unanimous decision despite a strong performance in the third round.
July 23, 2016: Victory over Holly Holm at UFC on Fox
On July 23, 2016, Valentina Shevchenko defeated former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm at UFC on Fox by unanimous decision.
January 28, 2017: Win against Julianna Peña at UFC on Fox
On January 28, 2017, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Julianna Peña at UFC on Fox by armbar submission, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
July 8, 2017: Nunes Pulled from UFC 213
On July 8, 2017, Valentina Shevchenko's rematch against Amanda Nunes at UFC 213 was called off on the day of the fight due to Nunes falling ill.
September 9, 2017: Loss to Nunes at UFC 215
On September 9, 2017, Valentina Shevchenko lost to Amanda Nunes via split decision at UFC 215 in Edmonton, Alberta, in a very close fight.
September 2017: Move to Flyweight Division
In September 2017, Valentina Shevchenko revealed her plans to move down to the 125-pound flyweight division.
2017: Counter-Striking Challenges in MMA
In 2017, Shevchenko discussed the challenges of perfecting her counter-striking technique in mixed martial arts, noting the difference in gauging distance between wrestlers and stand-up fighters.
February 3, 2018: Victory over Priscila Cachoeira
On February 3, 2018, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Priscila Cachoeira at UFC Fight Night 125 via rear-naked choke, earning a Performance of the Night bonus after an extremely dominant performance.
September 8, 2018: Montaño Bout Canceled
On September 8, 2018, Valentina Shevchenko's scheduled fight against Nicco Montaño at UFC 228 was canceled after Montano was hospitalized due to weight cutting issues; Montano was stripped of the Women's Flyweight title, and Shevchenko was announced to fight for the vacant title.
September 20, 2018: Fight against Joanna Jędrzejczyk Announced
On September 20, 2018, it was announced that Valentina Shevchenko would face Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 231 for the vacant UFC Women's Flyweight Championship.
December 8, 2018: UFC Women's Flyweight Champion
On December 8, 2018, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 231 by unanimous decision to become the new UFC Women's Flyweight Champion.
April 2019: Awarded the Dank Order
In April 2019, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov awarded Valentina Shevchenko with the Dank Order during her first visit to Kyrgyzstan in seven years, praising her role in defending the honor of Kyrgyzstan.
June 8, 2019: First Flyweight Title Defense
On June 8, 2019, Valentina Shevchenko defended her UFC flyweight title against Jessica Eye at UFC 238, winning via a head kick knockout in the second round and earning a Performance of the Night award.
August 10, 2019: Victory over Liz Carmouche at UFC Fight Night 156
On August 10, 2019, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Liz Carmouche at UFC Fight Night 156 via unanimous decision, avenging a previous loss from 2010.
February 8, 2020: Third Flyweight Title Defense
On February 8, 2020, Valentina Shevchenko defended her Flyweight title for the third time against Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 247, winning via TKO in the third round.
June 6, 2020: Pulled from UFC 250
On June 6, 2020, Valentina Shevchenko was scheduled to face Joanne Calderwood at UFC 250, but she pulled out of the fight due to a leg injury.
November 21, 2020: Fourth Flyweight Title Defense
On November 21, 2020, Valentina Shevchenko defended her title for the fourth time against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255, winning via unanimous decision.
2020: Appearance in "Bruised"
In 2020, Shevchenko appeared in the Netflix sports drama "Bruised" as Lucia "Lady Killer" Chavez.
April 24, 2021: Fifth Title Defense
On April 24, 2021, Valentina Shevchenko defended her title for the fifth time against Jéssica Andrade at UFC 261, winning via TKO in round two after dominating the fight.
September 25, 2021: Sixth Title Defense
On September 25, 2021, Valentina Shevchenko defended her title for the sixth time against Lauren Murphy at UFC 266, winning via technical knockout in round four.
December 2021: Women's Health Magazine Cover
In December 2021, Shevchenko and Halle Berry were featured on the digital cover of Women's Health magazine.
December 2021: Honored Professor Title
In December 2021, the National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic awarded Valentina Shevchenko the title of an Honored Professor.
June 12, 2022: Victory over Taila Santos at UFC 275
On June 12, 2022, Valentina Shevchenko won a close bout against Taila Santos at UFC 275 via split decision, also earning the Crypto.com "Fan Bonus of the Night" award.
March 4, 2023: Loss to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285
On March 4, 2023, Valentina Shevchenko lost to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 via a face crank in the fourth round, marking her first loss at Flyweight and her first submission loss in her MMA career.
September 16, 2023: Draw against Alexa Grasso at UFC Fight Night 227
On September 16, 2023, Valentina Shevchenko's rematch against Alexa Grasso for the UFC Women's Flyweight Championship at UFC Fight Night 227 ended in a split draw, a decision which was seen as controversial.
February 9, 2024: The Ultimate Fighter 32 Coaches
On February 9, 2024, Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso were announced as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 32 on ESPN+.
September 14, 2024: 2-Time UFC Women's Flyweight Champion
On September 14, 2024, Valentina Shevchenko faced Alexa Grasso for the third time at UFC 306, winning by dominant unanimous decision and becoming the only 2-time UFC Women's Flyweight Champion.
September 17, 2024: UFC Rankings
As of September 17, 2024, Valentina Shevchenko is ranked #1 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
