Valentina Shevchenko appears to have extra motivation going into her upcoming championship defense this weekend.
Set to defend her flyweight title against Manon Fiorot in the co-main event of UFC 315, Shevchenko, known for her composed demeanor, seems to have taken issue with some of Fiorot`s recent comments.
Speaking at the UFC 315 Media Day, Shevchenko stated, “I don’t think that it’s appropriate to compare myself to her, because I never will approach to any of my opponents so much disrespect that she did.”
The perceived disrespect from Fiorot, nicknamed “The Beast,” reportedly stems from comments made last year. Shortly after Shevchenko reclaimed her title from Alexa Grasso at UFC 306, Fiorot, who is typically reserved, unexpectedly called out “Bullet” and declared her intention to retire her. Shevchenko suggested this uncharacteristic trash talk might have been driven by Fiorot`s concern for her position in the title picture.
“She started to throw this Tweet a little bit too soon, in my opinion, because I just fought,” Shevchenko commented. “It was one month after the fight. But I understand, she was desperate… But I think everything, at the end, worked perfectly.”
Shevchenko believes Fiorot`s verbal jabs are more likely to negatively impact Fiorot herself than disturb the champion.
When asked if the talk bothered her, Shevchenko simply replied, “Nothing.” She elaborated on her extensive background in martial arts, which began at age five, highlighting her 17 world championships across various disciplines before joining the UFC. This vast experience, she explained, has exposed her to numerous personalities and allowed her to develop the ability to block out external negativity and stay focused on her primary objective.
Despite her professional detachment, “Bullet” did admit she anticipates enjoying the moment when the cage door closes on Saturday and Fiorot must try to back up her words. Shevchenko looks forward to the process of humbling her opponent.
“I like this, when people go in with so much confidence,” Shevchenko said, referring to opponents who predict finishes. “But I like this moment when they feel frustration in the ring, inside of the octagon, when they feel that any plan that they had, it doesn’t work. This is the best feeling, to see them breaking up.”
UFC 315 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 10th, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The event is headlined by a welterweight championship bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.
