Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is not worried about her opponent’s potential size advantage ahead of UFC 247.
She might be the smaller fighter, but flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko does not think Katlyn Chookagian’s bigger frame will pose much of a threat when they meet at UFC 247.
Four inches shorter and with a two and a half-inch reach disadvantage, Shevchenko will have to deal with Katlyn’s size, but in an interview with Combate, ‘Bullet’ guaranteed she is not worried about the alleged advantage Chookagian could have, claiming she already knows a way to handle it.
“She’s an MMA fighter. She fights standing up, she fights on the ground. She might think she’ll have an advantage because she’s bigger and has a longer reach, but she has no advantage, she’s mistaken. I know how to adjust my distance very well and make this work in my favor.”
Although Shevchenko already lost to bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes twice in the UFC, Valentina still believes they are bound to meet a third time, especially because Bullet does not think she lost the decision in the second time they met, in September 2017.
“I think I lost that fight in a way I shouldn’t have, because everyone knows I won that fight. Now, it’s not up to just the two of us these days. It doesn’t matter if she wants it or I want it, I don’t know, I just think it’s going to happen. Sometime, someday, I don’t know where, I don’t know when, I know it’s going to happen at the right time, in the right place and I’ll be ready. Martial arts are my life. I love to compete, I love to be here, living the life I live. We’re talking about another weight class, so we don’t know what might happen. There are many challengers who want to fight me. You have Amanda, Weili Zhang, Henry Cejudo, I don’t know who to pick.”
Currently on a four-fight winning streak, Valentina Shevchenko (18-3) defeated Priscila Cachoeira, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Jessica Eye and most recently, back in August 2019, Liz Carmouche. The 31-year-old’s latest loss dates back to the September 2017 split decision defeat to Amanda Nunes.
Shevchenko is expected to meet Chookagian in UFC 247’s co-main event, on February 8, in Houston, Texas. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between the champion, Jon Jones, and top contender Dominick Reyes.