Valentina Shevchenko

Dominant two-time UFC Women's Flyweight Champion who reclaimed the title in September 2024 and has since retained it against Fiorot and Zhang Weili.

Valentina Shevchenko's twin sister Antonina also fights professionally in the UFC, an almost unheard-of situation in a sport where sharing a locker room with a training partner is common but sharing a genetic twin as a peer competitor is not. The two have occasionally trained together, occasionally clashed publicly, and remain one of MMA's most unusual sibling stories regardless. Shevchenko's mother ran Kyrgyzstan's national Muay Thai association, which meant Valentina grew up around competitive striking as a matter of family business rather than personal discovery -- she was already winning kickboxing bouts against opponents a decade older by her early teens. Her UFC flyweight championship reign set division records for total wins, knockout finishes, and title-fight victories that remain unmatched -- a level of sustained dominance in a division that, unlike men's flyweight, took years longer to be taken seriously by the promotion itself, making Shevchenko's role in establishing its legitimacy as significant as the individual records themselves.

Shevchenko is renowned for her exceptional striking technique rooted in her Muay Thai background, featuring precise kicks, punches, and clinch work. She combines technical striking with strong takedown defense and solid grappling skills, making her a complete mixed martial artist. Her tactical approach and ability to control distance and pace have made her extremely difficult to defeat.

Shevchenko's seven consecutive title defenses and technical dominance helped establish the credibility and popularity of the UFC's women's flyweight division.

• UFC Women's Flyweight Champion 2018-2023, 2024-present
• first Kyrgyz UFC champion
• UFC records for division wins (12), KO/TKO wins (4), and title-fight wins (11)