UFC’s Valentina Shevchenko Goes A Few Rounds With Hook & Barrel 

Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko Lets It Fly On Her Wild (In A Good Way) Life In & Out Of The UFC Octagon 

To say that Valentina Shevchenko isn’t your typical woman would be a vast understatement. The 36-year-old Kyrgyzstani UFC fighter has been practicing martial arts for most of her life and is the first Kyrgyzstani and Peruvian fighter to win a UFC championship. As the current Women’s Flyweight Champion, she is also #1 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. 

In addition, the mixed martial artist is an accomplished shooter who I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with before. As deadly as she is in the ring, in real life, she’s soft-spoken, gracious, and extremely humble. So, it was a thrill to sit down with her recently to catch up and discuss some topics of interest to our Hook & Barrel readers. 

Valentina Shevchenko: The Early Years 

Shevchenko’s fighting heritage comes from her mother, who was practicing martial arts before it was cool—especially in the Soviet Union where Shevchenko spent her formative years. 

“My mom started with underground karate because it was prohibited in the Soviet Union,” Shevchenko said. “People who officially did martial arts could be sent to prison. It was not legal at that time because the philosophy of martial arts and the philosophy of the Soviet Union did not go together. The underground karate community was like a family.” 

Shevchenko’s older sister Antonina was already practicing martial arts and was already a champion before Shevchenko was old enough to start.  

“At five years old you don't understand much, you just do what your parents say to do, and that was actually a desire and decision of our mom,” she said. “But at the age of 11 or 12, when I realized that this is what I wanted to do in the future and was going to be with me no matter what, I started to train not because someone told me to, but because I felt that I really wanted to level up my game. I really wanted to be the best.” 

Shevchenko soon excelled in a sport that often found her fighting much older opponents. When she was 12, she knocked out an opponent who was 17, leading her coach to trust that she could compete against much older fighters. 

“When I fought for my first title—when I became a champion in Muay Thai—my opponent was 25 years old, and I was 15,” she said. “So yeah, there were opponents who were older than me, and yes, I knocked them out.” 

Bullet In The Ring 

In a professional fighting career that started when Shevchenko was about 12, she largely concentrated on Muay Thai and kickboxing because of the opportunities in those two sports. Between 2003 and 2015, she became one of the most accomplished Muay Thai fighters, winning more than 90 matches in K-1, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. While the specific number of knockouts or technical knockouts may vary based on sources, her record showcases her skill in finishing opponents, cementing her reputation as a powerful and precise striker before she even arrived on the UFC scene for good in 2015. 

The rest, as they say, is history. Since then, Shevchenko has amassed the most title wins in UFC Women’s history and earned the ring name “Bullet.” Think speed in the ring and in the fighting mindset. 

“My ring name was given to me by my coach, Pavel Fedotov, who knows me very well—my character, my fighting spirit, my personality,” she said. “I started my martial arts journey in his gym when I was 5 years old, and for 31 years since then, he has led me successfully through all the obstacles and battles on our fighting field. Since day one, Bullet was with me. I will never change it.” 

While Shevchenko has trained hard and worked harder, much of her ability comes naturally. She said combining those two aspects is what brings out the best in a fighter. 

“I read my opponent fast and most importantly, react,” she said. “But everything that is given to you by nature you multiply. Multiply this with training, hard work, dedication, fight game, and things like that and you know how to merge it all together. That is where  success comes from.” 

In her most recent fighting success, in late September 2024, Shevchenko won back the UFC Flyweight championship belt from Alexa Grasso in their trilogy fight after their second fight back in 2023 ended with a questionable draw decision. 

“After the last fight, I got back what belonged to me—my belt,” she said. “I did the same as I did in the second fight—I showed that I am better. I won the fight, but this time, I didn't leave anything to chance. With a score 50-45, there is no question who is your champion.” 

Outside The Ring 

One thing many people don’t realize is that Shevchenko is as much a badass outside the ring as she is when she is fighting an opponent. She received an undergraduate degree in Film Directing from the National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic. In December 2021, the university awarded her the title of an Honored Professor. 

She’s also an accomplished dancer. In 2013, Shevchenko was a contestant on the fourth season of the Peruvian dance and competition reality show Combate. Together with her dance partner, South American reality television star Alejandro “Zumba” Benitez, they won first place. 

Would that make her a likely candidate for the American TV show Dancing with the Stars? Coincidentally, the thought has crossed her mind and she’s definitely considering that an option for the future. 

“For years I’ve been thinking about that,” Shevchenko said. “I really enjoy dancing. When we were kids, my mom said, ‘Okay, I want you girls to not lose your femininity, so you will do martial arts and dancing.’ So, I spent quite a bit of time in dance.” 

If a dancing fighter is a surprise to readers, some of Shevchenko’s other passions might also turn a few heads.  

“A few years ago, I started to play ukulele,” Shevchenko said. “I feel it's a beautiful sound, something I really love. And I don't spend too much time trying to achieve a high level of being a musician. I do it for myself because I enjoy the sound. 

“When I was younger, I spent years painting. I still really love to spend time drawing, but martial arts take everything. This top level of martial arts requires more attention than everything else.” 

Shevchenko On Shooting & Hunting 

With the ring name Bullet, it’s only natural that Valentina Shevchenko would like shooting as much as she likes martial arts. She was introduced to shooting by her coach, Pavel, who was in the Soviet military. 

“We started to shoot back in Kyrgyzstan, back in Russia,” she said. “Then we were living in South America, in Peru, and that’s when I began competing in defensive shooting competitions. I love this style of shooting. I would say it's kind of like MMA, where you have to react quickly.” 

Since moving to the United States, Shevchenko has participated in several competitive shooting sports, including IPSC, IDPA, and 3-Gun. These sports have helped her build her shooting skills and given her another competitive outlet. 

“The United States is one of the best countries for firearms,” she said. “Here in the States, guns are more about culture because it's part of the heritage. Its meaning is freedom; people are free, and everyone knows how to respect and treat guns.” 

As for hunting, Shevchenko has hunted small game—quail, pheasants, and ducks—and is interested in becoming involved in big-game hunting in the future. Her ethics concerning hunting will ensure she fits right in with the American hunting culture when she does start chasing deer and other larger game animals. “It's not a rule, but [I believe] that if you hunt, you should eat what you’ve hunted,” she said. “If you fish, you should eat what you’ve caught.” 

Bullet's Parting Shot 

Valentina Shevchenko is clearly at the top of her game, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down as she begins prepping for her 2025 title defense schedule. “My plan is to focus on recharging to full recovery—mentally and physically,” she said. 

When asked how she’d like to be remembered when she eventually steps away from the pro octagon, she said with a grin, “Open my Instagram page (@bulletvalentina), it says a lot about me. I’d like to be remembered as a person with a complete passion for the martial arts. One who believes guns represent freedom and amazing sporting opportunities. A traveler of the world to see remarkable people and cultures. 

“Most of all,” Valentina said, “I hope I’m remembered as a grateful and respectful person who stays positive-minded in all situations.”