Athletes
Valentina Shevchenko | An Entirely Different Approach
Flyweight Queen Shares Outlook On Life Ahead Of Potential Legacy-Altering Clash At MSG
Just how good is UFC flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko when it comes to countering? Consider this: earlier this week when she sat down with the UFC Digital team in New York City where she’ll face Zhang Weili in the co-main event of VeChain UFC 322 on November 15, “Bullet” turned a question about how special it feels to face a fellow champion like Zhang where the interviewer misspoke and said “Valentina” into a lengthy, thoughtful answer about readying to compete.
“I think you’re right,” began the champion. “In my preparation, I’m first of all facing myself, and I have to fight with myself to push myself to the limits every time. The majority (of the time) this is how I feel in the fights: besides my opponent, it’s also a lot of fighting with myself.”
How To Watch And Stream VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev
Who does that? Who can pull something so meaningful out in a flash, instantly turning a common slip up into something poignant?
Shevchenko, that’s who, and that ability speaks to both the amount of time the 2-time titleholder has spent living the martial arts lifestyle and her unique outlook on the sport.
The 37-year-old from Kyrgyzstan has been competing since she was five and spent the majority of her life traveling the globe in order to train, compete, and experience the varied cultures that exist around the world. Where fans and observers see Instagram posts from various locations and envision a care-free, jet-setting adventurer collecting passport stamps, the truth is that for Shevchenko, being a martial artist and world traveler go hand-in-hand.
“I would say traveling and training in different places is not just about training camp. It’s more about my lifestyle because for me, martial arts and travel are all the same,” began the flyweight ruler, who logged time in Thailand, Morocco, Las Vegas, and Texas before wrapping up her preparations for Saturday’s clash with Zhang in New Jersey. “It’s me as a person… I feel this is my lifestyle, and I feel it benefits me because I’m learning every single day, not only in martial arts, but also learning about life itself. You can live in one place all your life and think (this is the world), but it’s not. Once you start to travel, you understand how diverse the world is, how many different cultures and many different people we have, how amazing they are.
Fight By Fight Preview | VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev
“I would say it’s very fortunate to have this opportunity to travel and see the world.”
But here’s the piece that is occasionally missed when wondering aloud about all of Shevchenko’s travels and whether the absence of a dedicated home base and constantly training in different locales is ultimately beneficial or detrimental to her career: everywhere she goes, her head coach Pavel Fedotov is by her side, orchestrating things. And just as many hands make light work, more eyes studying an opponent means more chances to spot tendencies and weaknesses, opportunities to attack, and the best path forward to victory.
“It’s a great matchup and during all my career, I was fighting the best ones,” began Shevchenko. “All the challengers were the best — on their rise, ready to prove they deserved this title — so I had to go through all of the best ones; bantamweight it was the same — fighting the best ones. For me, it’s definitely — I know Weili is an amazing fighter; very good, well-rounded, MMA fighter. My training camp has been just amazing. A lot of training partners, and of course, a lot of focusing on studying Weili very well, knowing all her sides.
“The most important is that I feel great — I feel very strong, I feel very fast, and nothing can stop me.”
Order VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev
There is no denying that Shevchenko has spent her entire UFC career taking on the toughest challenges possible.
In her five bantamweight appearances, she faced a former Strikeforce titleholder and three UFC champions, defeating Sarah Kaufman, Holly Holm, and Julianna Pena and coming up just short in a pair of bouts with Amanda Nunes. Their rematch with the bantamweight title on the line is still a debated result to this day.
After debuting at flyweight by mauling Priscila Cachoeira, the multi-lingual superstar has shared the Octagon with the most deserving challenger available. First came her initial title victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and most recently, her unanimous decision win over Manon Fiorot earlier this year in her first title defense since reclaiming the throne last September.
Along the way, she has never spoken ill of an opponent or dismissed their chances, recognizing that anything can happen once the fight begins. Despite her abundant skills and overall domination since moving to the 125-pound weight class, Shevchenko has never offered predictions or promises of an easy night at the office, opting instead to prepare for the toughest battle of her career and ready herself for that reality every time out.
FREE FIGHTS: Makhachev vs Moicano | JDM vs Roberts
This weekend is no different.
“I know for sure that I am ready for a war,” she began. “I’m not expecting an easy fight. It’s not gonna be. I know all the holes I will use — what (opportunities) I will see from Weili and use to secure my victory. I know them, all of them, but it doesn’t guarantee that it’s gonna be easy.
Valentina Shevchenko Fight Week Interview | Vechain UFC 322
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Valentina Shevchenko Fight Week Interview | Vechain UFC 322
/
“I’m ready for this battle, I’m ready for this challenge, and I know my strengths, my power. I’m very confident and I will leave all my heart inside the Octagon.”
She also won’t talk about what a win over the 2-time strawweight titleholder will mean for her legacy either.
“I never want to jump ahead,” Shevchenko said. “I never want to think about what it’s gonna mean on Sunday. I’m very focused, not losing my energy. Just accumulating everything I need for Saturday night.
“I never speak ahead of time – I think it’s not correct. It’s not right. It’s not the right philosophy and strategy,” she added. “You have to think only what is waiting in front of you, but once it’s happened, once you succeed with your goal, with your plan, then, in the moment, you start to think how it was and how it’s reflected on your legacy.”
If Shevchenko does not want to speak about her legacy ahead time, neither will I, but should things go in her favor this weekend at Madison Square Garden, there is going to be plenty to discuss on Sunday morning as she’s already one of the all-time greats.
But where she falls in the pantheon — not just amongst female fighters, but competitors period — could need revisiting.
In the words of Canadian hip hop artist k-os, “I can’t wait for Sunday morning.”
VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place live from Madison Square Garden Arena in New York, New York on November 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags