Valentina Shevchenko sees herself as the face of the UFC’s flyweight division.
Shevchenko scored a devastating head-kick knockout over Jessica Eye recently in her first title defense and talked with Submission Radio about what it takes to be champion.
“To be the champion is every time extra pressure, because everyone looks up to you and everyone’s like measuring what you’re saying,” she said. “You cannot just say any kind of silly stuff or something because you are the face, you are the face, you are the champion. And it’s good, it’s good. It’s because everyone wants to be champion to make people listen to this person, and it’s a very good responsibility. Of course, it’s double work, it’s double pressure for sure, but here we are for this one to be successful in what we are doing.
“And if we are speaking specifically about me, this is what I every time was looking for to be the champion. Doesn’t matter where I am, what promotion I’m fighting in, every time for me it was the goal to go to the fight and be the winner, not just having fun in the fight. Because it’s not fun when you get kicked liked this, it’s not fun at all. The fight, I would say in general, it’s not having fun, it’s very hard work. But it pays off everything. Everything pays off.
“Because your dedication, everything that you are spending into martial arts, you get double more, you get much more positive energy, like, love of the fans and support. It’s very important. And in my case, I enjoy all my travels to be able to meet new different people, to know them and to share my experience with them, their experience with me. So, my sacrifice is coming back to me in double way.”