Valentina Shevchenko publicly urged the UFC to sign Rizin champion Radjabali Shaidulaev. The 25-year-old fighter competes at 66 kilograms and holds an undefeated 19-0 record. Shevchenko's endorsement of the Rizin titleholder suggests she sees significant potential in the young prospect. The post expressed support for Shevchenko's call to bring Shaidulaev into the UFC roster, though details are limited beyond the basic request.
Valentina Shevchenko has publicly called on the UFC to sign Rizin champion Radjabali Shaidulaev, throwing her considerable weight behind the undefeated prospect in a social media post that has drawn attention across the MMA community.
Shevchenko, the reigning UFC Women's Flyweight Champion, carries enormous credibility when she speaks about talent. The 38-year-old from Kyrgyzstan holds a 26-4-1 professional record and has long been regarded as one of the most complete fighters in the sport. Training out of Tiger Muay Thai, the southpaw champion lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination that makes her a measuring stick for any fighter she endorses.
The subject of her endorsement, Radjabali Shaidulaev, is a 25-year-old Rizin titleholder who competes at 66 kilograms and carries a perfect 19-0 record into his career. Shevchenko's public push suggests she views him as a legitimate prospect worthy of the world's premier MMA organization.
Why it matters
- An endorsement from a reigning UFC champion carries real weight with promotion executives and can accelerate signing discussions for a prospect.
- Shaidulaev's undefeated 19-0 record and Rizin title give him a meaningful competitive resume, though his division and UFC equivalent weight class remain factors to sort out.
- The call highlights the UFC's ongoing relationship with Rizin talent, a pipeline that has produced several roster additions in recent years.
No formal offer or negotiation has been reported, and the UFC has not publicly responded to Shevchenko's call. Whether the promotion acts on the endorsement of its flyweight champion remains to be seen.
