Valentina Shevchenko is one of the legends of female MMA. The former flyweight champion lost the title to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 and drew in the rematch. Grasso and Shevchenko are now rival coaches at TUF 32, where Shevchenko is strict about a certain policy for fighters.
Dana White announced Shevchenko and Grasso as coaches, coinciding with Women’s Day. They will lead a group of featherweights and middleweights in the latest installment of the TUF series. Interestingly, Shevchenko has an interesting policy on TUF 32 for her fighters concerning ‘drinking water.’
So, during training, we don’t drink water. Nothing. When you are drinking water, you are kind of focusing on that you are tired. This is the way you develop your champion’s mindset…Water before or after, but during the training, nothing. Yeah, we don’t drink.
Valentina Shevchenko on TUF 32
English featherweight Nathan Fletcher, part of team Shevchenko, stated the policy would give a mental advantage. However, Fletcher admitted it was something new. Moreover, he stated Shevchenko is a strict coach on the series, which is unsurprising considering Shevchenko is a lifelong martial artist. Shevchenko has been training since she was five and has represented three nations at the IFMA World Muaythai Championships, bagging ten golds and 1 Silver.
Shevchenko gifted every member of her team a bullet talisman and also one to UFC CEO Dana White. She claimed the bullet would bring luck to the fighters and revealed she gave White the bullet to be on her team. Interestingly, luck was not on her side at Noche UFC, where she drew with Grasso due to erroneous judging. She looks to settle the score with Grasso at the trilogy fight, potentially at the Las Vegas Sphere for UFC 306.
Valentina Shevchenko looks in shape as she awaits the trilogy fight with Alexa Grasso
There has never been a trilogy fight in the UFC’s female divisions. Alexa Grasso has already expressed that the trilogy fight is big for women’s MMA, particularly due to Shevchenko’s contribution to the sport and Grasso’s contribution to Mexican MMA.
Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko (Image via: IMAGO)The UFC has not yet announced the date for the trilogy fight. Grasso has revealed fighting at the Sphere is a dream, while Shevchenko is open to fighting anywhere. Shevchenko has a habit of traveling around, and she was recently in the Caribbean, where she posted a video of her shadowboxing.
Shevchenko looked in fight-ready shape in the video. She was a huge favorite going into the first fight against Alexa Grasso. With Grasso winning via upset and the draw in the rematch, the rivalry between the two is shaping up to be one for the ages.
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