Valentina Shevchenko has publicly urged the UFC to sign Radjabali Shaidullaev, the current Rizin featherweight champion. Shaidullaev is 25 years old and holds an undefeated record of 19-0. He competes at 66 kilograms (featherweight). The post expresses support for Shevchenko's call to bring the Rizin champion to the UFC. No additional details are provided about Shaidullaev's recent performances or timeline for potential UFC signing.
Valentina Shevchenko has publicly called on the UFC to sign Radjabali Shaidullaev, the reigning Rizin featherweight champion, with the appeal drawing attention across MMA circles on April 13, 2026.
Shevchenko, the current UFC women's flyweight champion, carries enormous credibility when she speaks about fighter talent. The 38-year-old from Kyrgyzstan holds a professional record of 26-4-1 and trains out of Tiger Muay Thai. A technically precise southpaw standing five-foot-five with a 66-inch reach, she lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and adds consistent wrestling pressure with 2.62 takedown attempts per 15 minutes — a combination that has made her one of the most decorated champions in UFC history.
Shaidullaev is 25 years old, competes at 66 kilograms, and carries a perfect undefeated record of 19-0 under the Rizin banner. No further details about his recent performances or any timeline for a potential UFC move were included in Shevchenko's public statement.
Why it matters
- An undefeated 19-0 Rizin featherweight champion represents exactly the kind of international talent the UFC has historically targeted for roster expansion
- Shevchenko's public endorsement raises the profile of the call significantly, given her status as a sitting UFC champion
- At 25 with a clean record, Shaidullaev would arrive with considerable hype and immediate divisional intrigue at featherweight
