Shevchenko Sisters’ Background and UFC Careers
Antonina and Valentina Shevchenko are sisters who both compete in the flyweight division of the UFC. Antonina Shevchenko, the elder sister, was born on November 20, 1984, while Valentina Shevchenko, the younger sibling, was born on March 7, 1988. Their mother, Elena Shevchenko, is the president of Kyrgyzstan’s national Muay Thai Association and a former Muay Thai champion, and their father, Anatoly Shevchenko, is a veteran of the Cold War who served in the Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Navy.
Both sisters were born in Frunze, which was the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan at the time of their birth. Frunze is now known as Bishkek, and Kyrgyzstan, formerly Kirghizia, was part of the USSR when they were born. Consequently, their family held Soviet and later Kyrgyzstani citizenship.
Valentina Shevchenko began her kickboxing career at the age of 12 around the year 2000 when she knocked out a 22-year-old opponent. She earned the nickname ‘Bullet’ from their lifelong coach, Pavel Fedotov, due to her speed and agility inside the cage. In 2007, Valentina and Antonina Shevchenko, along with Fedotov, traveled to Peru and gained Peruvian citizenship a year later.
While Valentina has occasionally described herself as ‘Russian’ in media interviews, she is fluent in Russian, English, and Spanish languages, as is her sister Antonina Shevchenko.
The Shevchenko sisters have trained together since childhood, and it was under the influence of Antonina and their mother that Valentina got into the sport in the first place. This dynamic has not changed now that they both compete in the UFC. Valentina is the undisputed women’s flyweight champion, while Antonina is ranked number twelve in the same division.
Despite their generally mild-mannered and soft-spoken demeanor, Valentina Shevchenko can often be found in a fiery and passionate mode whenever she is cornering her sister during fights.
Antonina Shevchenko’s most recent fight was in July 2022 against Courtney Casey, which she won via split decision, ending a two-fight losing streak. However, she has not competed professionally since that victory.
On the other hand, Valentina Shevchenko lost her UFC flyweight title to Alexa Grasso at the UFC 285 PPV event via fourth-round submission. Despite the loss, she remains one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, holding the record for eight consecutive title fight wins. Valentina will have an opportunity to avenge her loss at UFC Fight Night 227 on September 16, 2023.
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By- Sahiba Suri