Former UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has publicly advocated for the promotion to sign Rizin bantamweight champion Rajabali Shaidullaev. The 25-year-old Shaidullaev currently holds a perfect 19-0 professional record and competes at 66 kilograms (approximately 145 pounds) in Rizin. Shevchenko's endorsement carries significant weight given her status as one of the sport's most accomplished female fighters and her knowledge of talent evaluation. The post indicates support for bringing the undefeated Rizin champion to the UFC roster. This represents another example of cross-promotional talent scouting and potential future UFC signings from international organizations.
Valentina Shevchenko has gone public with a call for the UFC to sign Rizin bantamweight champion Rajabali Shaidullaev, throwing her considerable influence behind the undefeated 25-year-old prospect.
Shevchenko, 38, is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. The Kyrgyzstan-born southpaw competes at women's flyweight and currently holds the division's championship with a professional record of 26-4-1. Training out of Tiger Muay Thai, she has built a reputation as one of MMA's most technically complete competitors, averaging 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also mixing in 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes. Her ability to assess talent across disciplines lends her endorsement genuine credibility within the sport.
Shaidullaev, meanwhile, enters the conversation as an unblemished 19-0 fighter currently competing under the Rizin banner at 66 kilograms, roughly 145 pounds. The 25-year-old holds the Rizin bantamweight championship, a title that has drawn attention from the UFC's talent pipeline before.
Why it matters
- Shevchenko's public advocacy signals that Shaidullaev's undefeated run is catching the eye of elite UFC insiders, not just fans and media.
- A potential signing would continue the UFC's history of acquiring top talent from Rizin, which has served as a proving ground for internationally recognized fighters.
- At 25 and 19-0, Shaidullaev represents the kind of unbeaten prospect the UFC has shown willingness to absorb at the right weight class and moment.
- The weight class alignment adds an interesting wrinkle, as his current Rizin competition sits near the featherweight threshold rather than traditional bantamweight.
