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UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko has come to the defense of women's MMA after former Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov once again voiced his dismissive views on female fighters.
On Thursday, comments from an interview with Nurmagomedov circulated on social media, where he shared his thoughts on women's MMA. This isn't the first time the former UFC champion has been questioned on the topic, and he maintained his consistent stance, asserting that women are not suited for combat sports. Nurmagomedov went as far as to claim his belief that women are created "weak," while men are made "strong."
These misogynistic comments caught the attention of Valentina Shevchenko, who delivered a sharp retort to Nurmagomedov on social media:
"Women are weak?!" Shevchenko wrote. "Tell that to my sister – an airline captain. Or tell it to the 'Night Witches' – the all-female bomber regiment from World War II, who dropped bombs under the cover of darkness with their engines off, then landed in complete blackness without landing lights. Because of this, they earned a reputation for being elusive and deadly. Come on, tell them who is stronger. It all depends entirely on upbringing. You can just as easily raise a man to be a helpless mama's boy, incapable of doing anything. Martial arts represent a warrior tradition where there is no distinction between man and woman. There is only the art itself. That's precisely why people train: to become more graceful, stronger, and wiser – and to ensure that no one ever has the opportunity to hit them in the face."
Shevchenko and Nurmagomedov are two of the most accomplished fighters in UFC history. Shevchenko is currently in her second reign as Flyweight Champion and boasts a total of nine successful title defenses (including seven consecutive during her first reign). Nurmagomedov, who retired from competition in 2020, concluded his career with an impeccable 29-0 record, including victories in four UFC Lightweight championship bouts.
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