Valentina Shevchenko plans to stick to considered one of Dana White’s favourite phrases: By no means depart it within the fingers of the judges.
This Saturday, Shevchenko faces rival Alexa Grasso in a flyweight championship trilogy bout within the co-main occasion of UFC 306, with Grasso trying to defend her title a second time. Grasso submitted Shevchenko to change into champion at UFC 285, then retained her belt by way of a break up draw on the inaugural Noche UFC in September 2023. The draw name was controversial, as one choose rewarded Grasso with a 10-8 rating within the ultimate spherical that was criticized by followers and fighters.
The previous champion was requested whether or not she’s anxious concerning the judges being swayed by a Mexican Independence Day weekend crowd that will probably be leaning in direction of Grasso, however she hopes the bout doesn’t even require scorecards.
“The priority is to complete the struggle,” Shevchenko advised reporters at UFC 306 media day. “That is No. 1 what’s in my head. When to grab the chance, to simply do what you must do, 100%, end the struggle.”
Shevchenko went on to elaborate on her private historical past of coping with shaky judging, together with a pair of examples from her kickboxing days. She claimed {that a} biased referee tried to intrude together with her efficiency at a previous Muay Thai competitors.
“I’ve been in martial arts for 31 years,” Shevchenko mentioned. “I began once I was 5 years previous, to coach, and positively in all my profession I used to be combating so many locations, so many various fighters, of their residence international locations in opposition to not solely in opposition to opponents, crowd, however I had a world Muay Thai championship the place I needed to ‘struggle’ in opposition to the referee.
“There was a lady referee who was truly doing everything-I used to be combating within the ultimate with a Thai woman—she was doing every part to take factors from me and to [prevent] methods. She invented that I can’t do it, however she was attempting to try this. It doesn’t matter what, I gained the struggle, and when she was elevating my arm she mentioned, ‘You might be very fortunate’ as a result of what she was attempting to do it by no means labored.”
Shevchenko was additionally requested about latest UFC debutante Wang Cong. The Chinese language fighter was spectacular in her first struggle for the promotion, needing 62 seconds to flatten veteran Victoria Leonardo.
Wang holds a win over Shevchenko from once they competed in kickboxing in 2015, however Shevchenko claims that their struggle was one other instance of home-cooked scorecards.
“It’s actually humorous as a result of I let you know, once we fought it was in China,” Shevchenko mentioned of the Wang struggle. “Again then, in that yr, any international fighter who fought in China, they’d say the identical: To [beat] a Chinese language opponent, you must not solely knock her out, however ensure that she will probably be down for no less than half-hour, as a result of if it will likely be simply 5 minutes, they’ll convey her up, ‘Are you prepared? Are you prepared? Go!’ and ultimately they make you lose.
“If we evaluate judges of that group in China with what occurred in my final struggle with Alexa, that choose is an angel in comparison with the judges in China in that point.”
Given the controversy surrounding the second struggle, Shevchenko is newly decided to conclude her trilogy with Grasso by securing a end. Nonetheless, she hesitated to say that she wanted to make any main adjustments to her preparation—particularly contemplating that the collection is tied, so far as she’s involved.
“I can’t say that I misplaced two occasions, I might say it’s improper to say it that manner as a result of our second struggle—and everybody might see that—I gained the struggle, however they gave a draw. … So what ought to I do and what ought to I modify?” Shevchenko mentioned. “I don’t know. I actually needed to focus to carry out and to arrange myself the easiest way that I can and I say I had an incredible coaching camp. I pushed myself to all limits potential and what’s not possible limits, and simply prepared for the motion. It’s going to be an incredible occasion and an incredible struggle.”
