Valentina Shevchenko publicly advocated for the UFC to sign Rizin champion Radjabali Shaidullaev. The 25-year-old fighter competes at 66kg and holds an undefeated 19-0 professional record as Rizin champion. Shevchenko's endorsement carries weight given her status as a former UFC champion and respected veteran. The post expressed support for bringing the unbeaten prospect to the UFC. No indication was given about whether the UFC has shown interest or if Shaidullaev has expressed desire to make the move.
Valentina Shevchenko has publicly called on the UFC to sign Rizin champion Radjabali Shaidullaev, throwing her considerable backing behind the unbeaten prospect in what amounts to a rare public endorsement from one of the sport's most decorated fighters.
Shevchenko, 38, is the reigning UFC Women's Flyweight champion and one of the most respected veterans in mixed martial arts. The Kyrgyzstan-born southpaw holds a professional record of 26-4-1 and trains out of Tiger Muay Thai. Known for her technical precision, she lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate, and she adds a credible grappling threat with 2.62 takedowns per fifteen minutes. Her standing in the sport lends unusual weight to any public statement she makes about prospective talent.
Shaidullaev, just 25 years old, enters the conversation with an unblemished 19-0 record and the Rizin championship at 66 kilograms. The details of his fighting style were not included in Shevchenko's post, but his undefeated status at that level of competition is the clear basis for her advocacy.
Why it matters
- Shevchenko's endorsement puts a spotlight on a prospect who may otherwise have gone unnoticed by a broader UFC audience.
- Shaidullaev competes at 66 kg, sitting between UFC Lightweight and Welterweight, meaning any potential move to the UFC would require a divisional adjustment.
- No response from the UFC or any statement from Shaidullaev himself has been reported, leaving the situation entirely open-ended.
