History of Valentina Shevchenko in Timeline
Valentina Shevchenko, born on March 7, 1988, is a Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian professional mixed martial artist. Specializing in Muay Thai, she competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) women's Flyweight division. Shevchenko is the former UFC Women's Flyweight Champion and currently holds the #1 spot in the women's flyweight rankings as of March 7, 2023. Additionally, she is ranked #3 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings as of August 22, 2023.
March 7, 1988: Birth of Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Anatolievna Shevchenko was born on March 7, 1988.
2000: Early Kickboxing Career and Nickname
At the age of 12, Valentina Shevchenko began her kickboxing career and earned the nickname "Bullet" from her trainer due to her speed in the ring.
April 21, 2003: Professional MMA Debut
At the age of 15, Valentina Shevchenko made her professional debut in mixed martial arts, winning via TKO in the second round.
2003: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won her first gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2003.
2006: Firearms Training
Valentina Shevchenko began her firearms training in 2006 under the guidance of Pavel Fedotov, a veteran of the Soviet army.
2006: Hiatus from MMA
Valentina Shevchenko decided to take a break from MMA in 2006 to focus on her Muay Thai and kickboxing career.
2006: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2006.
2007: Relocation to Peru
Valentina Shevchenko traveled to Peru with her sister and trainer in 2007 to teach martial arts.
2007: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2007.
2008: First Kickboxing Loss
Valentina Shevchenko experienced her first loss in kickboxing against Debby Urkens (WFCA) in 2008.
2008: Peruvian Citizenship
Valentina Shevchenko gained Peruvian citizenship in 2008.
2009: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2009.
May 8, 2010: Professional Boxing Debut
Valentina Shevchenko made her professional boxing debut on May 8, 2010, at Coliseo Marotta in Callao, Peru, against Halanna dos Santos. Despite utilizing Muay Thai techniques and grappling tactics throughout the match, she won by unanimous decision.
September 30, 2010: US Debut and Controversial Loss
On September 30, 2010, Valentina Shevchenko made her US debut against Liz Carmouche, which she lost due to a controversial doctor stoppage.
2010: First Fight Against Liz Carmouche
In 2010, Valentina Shevchenko previously fought Liz Carmouche under a regional promotion, losing the bout in the second round due to a doctor stoppage because of a large cut from an upkick.
2010: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2010.
2010: Competitive Pistol Shooting
Valentina Shevchenko has been actively participating in IPSC, IDPA, and 3-Gun pistol shooting competitions since 2010.
December 17, 2011: Boxing Match Against Nerys Rincon
On December 17, 2011, Valentina Shevchenko won a boxing match against Nerys Rincon at Pueblo Libra Reserclub in Lima, Peru, securing a TKO victory in the fourth round.
January 14, 2012: WIBA Lightweight Championship Cancellation
Valentina Shevchenko was scheduled to fight Mary McGee for the vacant WIBA Lightweight championship title on January 14, 2012, in Lima, Peru. However, she withdrew from the match for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Duda Yankovich.
2012: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won a gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2012.
2013: Combate Reality Show Win
In 2013, Valentina Shevchenko participated in and won the fourth season of the Peruvian dance competition show "Combate," broadcast by ATV, alongside her dance partner Alejandro "Zumba" Benitez. In one episode, she won an exhibition wrestling match against professional boxer David Zegarra by submission in under a minute.
2013: Return to MMA and Two TKO Wins
Shevchenko returned to MMA competition in 2013, securing two TKO wins in a short span of two months.
2014: Signing with Legacy FC
In 2014, Legacy FC signed Valentina Shevchenko for MMA and kickboxing.
2014: Muaythai Spirit of Sport Award
In 2014, the "Sport is Your Gang" initiative, which Valentina Shevchenko served as an ambassador for in Peru, won the Muaythai Spirit of Sport Award. The initiative focused on providing Muay Thai training to at-risk youth as an alternative to gang involvement and violence.
2014: IFMA World Championships Gold Medal
Valentina Shevchenko won her eighth gold medal at the IFMA world championships in 2014.
February 27, 2015: Victory against Jan Finney
Valentina Shevchenko defeated Jan Finney at Legacy Fighting Championship 39 on February 27, 2015.
2015: IFMA Executive Board Election
In 2015, Valentina Shevchenko was elected to the IFMA executive board as an athletic commission representative.
2015: End of Kickboxing Career Dominance
From 2003 to 2015, Shevchenko dominated the kickboxing world, amassing numerous wins. This marked the end of that era in her career.
March 5, 2016: Loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 196
Valentina Shevchenko lost to Amanda Nunes by unanimous decision at UFC 196 on March 5, 2016.
July 23, 2016: Victory against Holly Holm at UFC on Fox
Valentina Shevchenko secured a dominant unanimous decision victory against Holly Holm at UFC on Fox on July 23, 2016.
January 28, 2017: Victory against Julianna Peña and Performance of the Night Bonus
Shevchenko won against Julianna Peña by armbar submission on January 28, 2017, earning her first Performance of the Night bonus.
July 8, 2017: Amanda Nunes Fight Cancellation
A scheduled rematch against Amanda Nunes at UFC 213 was canceled on July 8, 2017, due to Nunes falling ill.
September 9, 2017: Split Decision Loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 215
Valentina Shevchenko lost a close rematch against Amanda Nunes via split decision at UFC 215 on September 9, 2017.
September 2017: Move to Flyweight Division
Shevchenko announced her intention to move to the 125-pound flyweight division in September 2017.
2017: Interview on Counter-Striking Techniques
In a 2017 interview, Valentina Shevchenko discussed the challenges of perfecting counter-striking techniques in mixed martial arts, highlighting the differences between fighting wrestlers and stand-up fighters.
February 3, 2018: Dominant Victory and Performance of the Night Bonus at UFC Fight Night 125
Shevchenko won in a dominant fashion against Priscila Cachoeira at UFC Fight Night 125 on February 3, 2018, earning another Performance of the Night bonus.
September 8, 2018: Nicco Montaño Fight Cancellation and Title Shot
A scheduled fight against Nicco Montaño at UFC 228 was canceled due to Montaño's weight-cutting issues, leading to Shevchenko's opportunity for the vacant flyweight title.
September 20, 2018: UFC Fight Announcement
On September 20, 2018, it was announced that Valentina Shevchenko would be facing Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant UFC Women's Flyweight Championship at UFC 231 on December 8, 2018.
December 8, 2018: UFC 231
On December 8, 2018, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Joanna Jędrzejczyk by unanimous decision at UFC 231, becoming the new UFC Women's Flyweight Champion.
April 2019: Dank Order Award
Valentina Shevchenko was awarded the Dank Order by Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov in April 2019.
June 8, 2019: UFC 238
On June 8, 2019, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her UFC flyweight title against Jessica Eye at UFC 238, winning by head kick knockout in the second round and earning the Performance of the Night award.
August 10, 2019: UFC Fight Night 156
On August 10, 2019, Valentina Shevchenko faced Liz Carmouche at UFC Fight Night 156, winning the rematch by unanimous decision.
February 8, 2020: UFC 247
On February 8, 2020, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her Flyweight title for the third time at UFC 247, defeating Katlyn Chookagian via TKO in the third round.
June 6, 2020: UFC 250 Withdrawal
Valentina Shevchenko withdrew from her scheduled fight against Joanne Calderwood at UFC 250 on June 6, 2020, due to a leg injury.
November 21, 2020: UFC 255
Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her Flyweight title for the fourth time against Jennifer Maia on November 21, 2020, at UFC 255, securing a victory by unanimous decision.
April 24, 2021: UFC 261
On April 24, 2021, Valentina Shevchenko dominated and won against Jéssica Andrade at UFC 261, achieving a TKO victory in the second round and marking her fifth successful title defense.
September 25, 2021: UFC 266
Valentina Shevchenko secured her sixth successful title defense by defeating Lauren Murphy via technical knockout in the fourth round at UFC 266 on September 25, 2021.
December 2021: Honored Professor Title
In December 2021, Valentina Shevchenko was awarded the title of Honored Professor by the National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic.
December 2021: Women's Health Magazine Cover
Valentina Shevchenko and Berry were featured on the digital cover of Women's Health magazine's December 2021 issue.
June 12, 2022: UFC 275
On June 12, 2022, Valentina Shevchenko won a close fight against Taila Santos at UFC 275 via split decision. This victory earned her the Crypto.com "Fan Bonus of the Night" award, paid in bitcoin, amounting to US$30,000 for first place.
March 4, 2023: UFC 285
On March 4, 2023, Valentina Shevchenko faced Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 and experienced an upset loss, losing her Flyweight title via a face crank submission in the fourth round. This marked her first loss in the Flyweight division, her first non-decision loss in the UFC, and the first submission loss in her MMA career.
March 7, 2023: Women's Flyweight Rankings Update
On March 7, 2023, Valentina Shevchenko was ranked #1 in the women's flyweight rankings.
August 22, 2023: UFC Women's Pound-for-Pound Rankings Update
As of August 22, 2023, Valentina Shevchenko was ranked #3 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
September 16, 2023: UFC Fight Night 227
The rematch between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso for the UFC Women's Flyweight Championship took place on September 16, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 227, resulting in a split draw. The decision sparked controversy due to one judge's 10-8 score in favor of Grasso in the final round, a point of contention given Shevchenko's dominance and the new UFC scoring system. Had the round been scored for Shevchenko, she would have reclaimed the title.
February 9, 2024: The Ultimate Fighter 32 Coaching Announcement
On February 9, 2024, it was announced that Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso would be the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 32 on ESPN+, featuring middleweight and featherweight contestants.