Valentina Shevchenko Enjoyed Proving Doubters Wrong at UFC 261

At this point in her mixed martial arts career, it’s hard to believe that Valentina Shevchenko, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, would have anyone doubting her ability to succeed in the Octagon.

And yet, Shevchenko was able to find motivation in the pre-fight narrative that UFC 261 opponent Jessica Andrade would be able to overpower her in the clinch or on the canvas.

“I don’t have fear to go and fight, to go and wrestle, to go and grapple, I don’t have,” Shevchenko said. “I saw and hear a lot from Jessica that she is so secure that she can be stronger than me, than she can dominate me on the ground. I knew it, but I didn’t want to say nothing because I know my power and what I can do.

“That’s why I was like OK, let her believe in this, and then when she feels the power, real power of myself, she’s going to be double frustrated.”

When all was said and done, Shevchenko tied a flyweight record with seven takedowns before stopping Andrade with a furious barrage of elbows from the mounted crucifix position 3:19 into Round 2. Whenever Andrade attempted to initiate wrestling, she appeared to be overpowered by the reigning champion in what was another dominant performance by Shevchenko.

“Once I was in crucifix, I secure my position first, then I start to land hits, I start to land elbow,” she said. “I saw the blood and I heard the referee, and then I knew, this is my moment, I need to finish it. I don’t want to fight five rounds.”

Shevchenko admitted that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for people to believe Andrade would be one of her most difficult tests because it helped to build interest in the fight.

“I really like how this fight played before the fight, when people created so much interest about like, ‘Jessica, she brings so much’ and even some people were doubting if I could handle it,” Shevchenko said.” But from one point, I just didn’t want to say anything before the fight, I really liked it because from one side it created some kind of interest for the fight and everyone [was] like, ‘Maybe this is something.’ But I was so sure in my power, what I can do, and what I can bring, that’s why I was like, okay, it’s going to be a surprise for you, I will let you believe in your power.”

Shevchenko also pointed out that in previous fights she has also been better than her opponents in areas where they had perceived advantages.

“It’s kind of interesting, if you could see like fights that I had before, for example when I fought Holly Holm everybody was thinking that she’s gonna outstrike me. No, my body decides I will outstrike her,” Shevchenko said. “When I fought Julianna Pena, everyone said, ‘It’s gonna be a submission. If they go to the ground, Julianna’s going to submit her.’ No, I submit her. So my body decided, not me. I just prepare for doing this.”

As Shevchenko continues to roll through the UFC’s flyweight division, it will become more difficult to find suitable opposition for the Kyrgyzstan native. Although she is 0-2 against reigning bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes, Shevchenko was extremely competitive in both bouts — including a split-decision defeat in a 135-pound title fight in September 2017. Shevchenko believes a trilogy with Nunes will eventually happen in due time.

“I can say exactly about my fighting career, it’s not gonna [be] over soon,” Shevchenko said. “I plan to fight for a long time. I think that this fight is just going to happen. I’m not going to push it like, give me Amanda right now, I’m gonna break her face. I’m not gonna say it because I know this fight’s gonna happen. It’s gonna happen just literally when everyone will feel like there is no more, only this fight makes sense for everyone.

“When all the fans are like, ‘We want this. We want to see this fight.’ When the UFC and Dana White are like, ‘We just need this fight.’ I think that when it’s time to happen, it’s gonna be something big and huge and I will be ready for this. I’m already ready for this, but I will make sure to gain some pounds back.”