Antonina Shevchenko, a seasoned UFC fighter with eight octagon appearances, has announced her retirement from professional MMA. The sister of current UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko shared the news of her departure from the sport on Thursday.
Shevchenko, who recently became a mother in September 2024, last competed in the UFC in July 2022. In her final fight, she secured a victory by split decision against Cortney Casey.
In her retirement announcement, Shevchenko mentioned that she didn`t have a formal opportunity to retire in the octagon after her last fight, which she didn`t realize would be her final one. She stated, “I am leaving my gloves in this post.” She reflected on her extensive 30-year career in combat sports, highlighting her achievements including a 3rd-dan black belt in Taekwondo and 11 world titles across Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA. She also noted over 400 amateur and professional fights, her Asian and South American championships, and her time as a UFC fighter, marking the end of her professional sports journey.
The 40-year-old fighter entered the UFC in 2018 through Dana White`s Contender Series. During her UFC career, she achieved victories with finishes against Lucie Pudilova and Ariane da Silva. Her losses in the UFC were against Roxanne Modafferi, Katlyn Chookagian (formerly Cerminara), Andrea Lee, and Casey O’Neill.
Shevchenko emphasized that martial arts will remain an important part of her life, but in a different capacity. She expressed her excitement about transitioning to her next chapter: a career as a pilot. She conveyed her deep passion for aviation, stating her “heart and head are completely filled with airplanes and the sky” and her happiness in pursuing this new path.
She described professional fighting as an exciting and demanding life filled with challenges and rewards, making it difficult to find a similarly fulfilling path. She believes aviation offers her that same intensity, action, continuous learning, and sense of accomplishment.
With a professional MMA record of 10 wins and 4 losses, Shevchenko now hopes her son will follow in her footsteps in the world of combat sports.
Shevchenko shared that her focus is now on raising her son and supporting his future. She mentioned she would encourage him to pursue careers as both a professional fighter and a pilot. She thanked the UFC, Dana White, and Mick Maynard for the opportunity to compete in the UFC, acknowledging the challenging fights that pushed her to her limits. She also expressed gratitude for the performance bonuses, which enabled her to fund her pilot training, purchase an aircraft, and obtain her pilot licenses and flight hours.
Finally, Shevchenko thanked her friends and fans for their support and mentioned she will now be cheering for her sister, Valentina.
Wesley Dunham