Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko responds to critics of her UFC 275 performance against Taila Santos.
For the second consecutive time, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her title at UFC 275 against Taila Santos. But for many who saw it unfold, the reigning champ may have exposed many weaknesses that could be exploited.
In her recent guesting on The MMA Hour, “Bullet” responded to those critics.
“The trash talkers like Casey [O’Neil] and Maycee Barber, don’t give food for them, just let them speak something bad about someone because I think this is their energy,” Shevchenko said (quotes via MMA Mania).
“If they don’t talk something bad or something ugly, they feel sad in life. So this is why I feel they felt they had to say something. For example, Maycee just came back from her injury, Casey she doesn’t have much to do just to speak because she’s injured.”
For Shevchenko, getting to actually share the Octagon with her is an entirely different story than crafting a strategy for a potential fight.
“They can think whatever they want, but it’s one thing to pretend that they know and another thing to be inside of the octagon and try it and do it and make it [real],” she said.
“Yes, they can work on their things, but it will never work because every time I will find the way to win and continue winning, and defend my flyweight [title]. Because you see it, but before you feel it, you never know it.”
Shevchenko (23-3) revealed sustaining a foot injury ahead of the Santos fight, which is why, she says, she was unable to do her trademark post-fight twirl.