Following her victory over Manon Fiorot at UFC 315, Valentina Shevchenko expressed her hope that Fiorot would not follow through on their pre-fight retirement agreement.
Leading up to Saturday`s co-main event, where Shevchenko successfully defended her flyweight title in a competitive bout, Fiorot (35) had proposed that Shevchenko retire if she won. Shevchenko had countered by suggesting the same terms should Fiorot lose.
Speaking to the media after the fight, Shevchenko clarified that she never intended the wager to be taken seriously and actively encouraged Fiorot to continue her fighting career. “To be very clear, before the fight Manon [suggested] that if she won, I retire,” Shevchenko stated. “I responded to her, if I won, she retires. So I completely don’t want her to retire… I feel it’s unfair for the fighter because someone put [the words] in her mouth to promote the fight… No, don’t follow your words, please stay fighting.”
Shevchenko, aged 37, secured a close decision win with all judges scoring it 48-47. She successfully managed Fiorot`s aggressive, larger style to retain her championship status. “Bullet” attributed some of her preparation success to training with her recently retired sister, Antonina, who is also a southpaw. She explained that years of working with her sister`s “incomparable” speed and power had honed her ability to see and react to southpaw techniques like Fiorot`s kicks.
Looking ahead, Shevchenko remains at the top of the flyweight division. Strawweight champion Zhang Weili has expressed interest in a potential cross-divisional superfight. However, Natalia Silva also made a strong case for a title shot by defeating former champion Alexa Grasso, extending her UFC record to 7-0.
Shevchenko indicated she has no specific preference for her next opponent and is open to either challenge, suggesting fans might have a role in determining who she faces next, humorously mentioning her OnlyFans page as a place for suggestions.
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