Antonina: Why I’ll fight on DWTNCS at same weight as Valentina
Antonina Shevchenko: ““Of course, we’ll never fight as sisters. Valentina now is No. 1 contender at flyweight. I’m sure in a few months she will be the champion.”
Valentina Shevchenko lost women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes via Split Decision last year. She is, in addition, one of the world’s premier kickboxers. And she has an older sister Antonina, who is equally skilled as a striker, and boasts a 3-0 MMA record.
Antonina appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour and reported that she will be fighting on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, at flyweight, her younger sister’s new division.
Antonina has kickboxed at 135 and even 145, so why is she fighting at 125 in MMA?
They cut weight so much and the girls at 135 they are too big for me, replied Antonina, as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. It’ll be better for me to fight at 125 in UFC.
So would she fight her little sister?
I don’t think so, she replied . Of course, we’ll never fight as sisters. Valentina now is No. 1 contender at flyweight. I’m sure in a few months she will be the champion of this division. If I win this fight in Contender Series, I will be just entering UFC. There will be a hard, long way before you become No. 3, No. 5, No. 1. it’ll be a long way and hard way, so we’ll see.
Antonina defends her women’s super lightweight [140 pounds] Muay Thai title vs. Claire Baxter at Lion Fight 42 on Saturday night. If her DWTNCS debut goes well, that could be her final stand up bout.
If it will happen, then yes of course, said Antonina. UFC is a huge, huge organization and has the best fighters in the world of MMA. It’ll be a great challenge for me as a martial artist.
For me, it wouldn’t be intimidating, because I did more than 20 years of [martial arts]. I had professional fights in different countries, in different states than many fighters I have [fought]. But in many ways I know how it is with UFC fights from inside. Every procedure fighters do during fight week is all familiar now to me. For me, it’s just more comfortable, I think.
For a martial arts person, I would like to challenge myself in MMA, to develop myself as a martial artist. MMA is the most complete fight in all martial arts.
Antonina expects to make her DWTNCS debut in June, although no opponent or firm date has been set.