Valentina Shevchenko calls for UFC to sign Rizin champion Rajabali Shaidullaev

Valentina Shevchenko is using her platform to push for the UFC to sign Rizin featherweight champion Rajabali Shaidullaev, a 25-year-old undefeated prospect competing at 66 kilograms.

Shevchenko, the reigning UFC Women's Flyweight champion, brings considerable weight to any such endorsement. The 38-year-old from Kyrgyzstan holds a professional record of 26-4-1 and has long been regarded as one of the most complete fighters in the sport. Training out of Tiger Muay Thai, the southpaw lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and supplements her striking with 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes — a well-rounded skill set that has defined her dominance at 125 pounds. At five-foot-five with a 66-inch reach, she has been a measuring stick for the entire women's flyweight division.

Shaidullaev, meanwhile, carries a flawless 19-0 record under the Rizin banner at featherweight. At just 25 years old, the undefeated champion has drawn attention as one of the more promising talents operating outside the UFC's roster. No details are available regarding his recent performances or whether the UFC has expressed any formal interest in bringing him aboard.

Why it matters

• An endorsement from a sitting UFC champion carries real promotional value and could accelerate UFC interest in a prospect
• Shaidullaev's 19-0 record at Rizin featherweight suggests he has already been tested at a high regional level
• Adding proven Rizin champions has become a familiar pathway into the UFC, making Shevchenko's call a plausible one
• The 66-kilogram weight class sits between UFC's bantamweight and featherweight divisions, meaning any potential signing would involve a weight adjustment