Valentina Shevchenko commemorated Victory Day by posting photographs of Soviet female pilots she had previously mentioned. The UFC champion shared images of Marina Raskova, Valeria Khomyakova, Lydia Litvyak, Ekaterina Budanova, and Valentina Grizodubova. These were the same aviators Shevchenko had referenced in comments made approximately six weeks earlier. The post serves as Shevchenko's tribute to the contributions of these World War II pilots. Her acknowledgment connects her earlier statements about these historical figures with the Victory Day commemoration. The gesture highlights Shevchenko's respect for the legacy of these military aviators.
UFC Women's Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko marked Victory Day on May 9 by sharing photographs of five Soviet female pilots she had spoken about publicly roughly six weeks prior, using the commemoration to honor their wartime contributions.
Shevchenko, known as "Bullet," posted images of Marina Raskova, Valeria Khomyakova, Lydia Litvyak, Ekaterina Budanova, and Valentina Grizodubova — the same aviators she had referenced in earlier comments. The Victory Day post drew a direct line between those prior statements and the broader historical occasion, framing her tribute as a deliberate and considered gesture rather than a spontaneous one.
The 38-year-old champion from Kyrgyzstan trains out of Tiger Muay Thai and holds a professional record of 26-4-1. She remains one of the most technically accomplished fighters in the sport, landing 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination that has defined her long reign atop the Women's Flyweight division.
Why it matters
- Shevchenko's post connects a previous public statement to a formal historical commemoration, showing continuity in how she has engaged with this subject
- The tribute highlights her personal interest in Soviet aviation history, an aspect of her public identity that extends beyond competition
- Victory Day, observed on May 9 across many former Soviet states, carries significant cultural weight in Kyrgyzstan, where Shevchenko was born and raised
