In her first public statement following her loss to opponent Alexa Grasso at UFC 285, Valentina Shevchenko spoke candidly about her frustration with the fight and her own performance.
Speaking to her fans in a video posted on her social media accounts, Shevchenko admitted that she was obviously upset with how the fight turned out and that she didn’t feel like herself in the Octagon. She explained that she had been dealing with some personal issues leading up to the fight, which may have contributed to her loss.
Shevchenko also praised Grasso’s performance, calling her a “great fighter” and expressing respect for her abilities in the ring.
man the second alexa grasso was able to get her back she went to work fast pic.twitter.com/QFRNcBdTIW
— Gegard Mousasseat (@mousasseat) March 5, 2023
She stated that she was disappointed in herself, but that she would use this experience as motivation to come back stronger in future fights.
“Fight doesn’t forget any mistake! Especially it feels frustrating when you was dominating all the fight. No excuses, only hard work! Ready to start all over. Love you all,” Shevchenko wrote.
“Thank you everyone for the support! Truly appreciate all of you! In good and bad thank you for being with me. Difficult times built strong people. Martial Arts is my LIFE and I will be back for immediate rematch stronger than ever,”
Despite the setback, Shevchenko remains one of the top fighters in the women’s flyweight division and has a record of 23-4 in her professional career. She has already achieved numerous accolades in the sport and is widely respected for her skill and athleticism.