Don’t you dare ask Valentina Shevchenko about retiring.
For greater than 20 years, ‘Bullet’ has been working onerous to determine herself as the most effective feminine fighters in fight sports activities historical past. On Saturday, Might 10, she’ll look so as to add to her legacy when she defends her UFC flyweight world championship towards No. 2 ranked contender Manon Fiorot within the co-main occasion of UFC 315 in Montreal.
Whereas Shevchenko exhibits no indicators of slowing down, former UFC and ONE world champion Demetrious Johnson not too long ago instructed that ‘Bullet’ ought to have another go contained in the Octagon towards strawweight queen Zhang Weili earlier than laying down her gloves and making manner for the following era.
“What I want to see next for Zhang Weili, I would love to see her fight Valentina Shevchenko,” Johnson mentioned on his YouTube channel. “I think both those ladies have cleared their divisions. I think those two fight one more time and they can both retire in the sunset. Let the younger division, let the younger athletes have the opportunity to win the belt. They’re both older.”
Shevchenko snaps again at DJ’s retirement discuss
Responding to Johnson’s feedback throughout an look on The Ariel Helwani Present, Shevchenko slammed the MMA media’s obsessions with making an attempt to retire fighters. Notably those that are nonetheless competing on the highest degree, like herself.
“I feel like the talk about retirement is getting out of hand in the martial arts community,” Shevchenko mentioned. “One of many silliest questions I hear—not only for me, however for all fighters—is when the media asks somebody on the prime of their recreation about retirement. I believe, why? Don’t you get pleasure from watching them combat? Why push them to retire once they’re simply getting began? That’s why I don’t like all this discuss retirement.
“Every thing begins with an concept. Somebody places it in your head, otherwise you begin fascinated about it. However who decides there’s a sure age to retire? Crucial factor is how you’re feeling, what form you’re in. In case your thoughts is prepared for coaching camps, weight cuts, and competitors, there aren’t any limits.
“So stop asking and commenting on retirement. Just look at the facts. Watch how people fight, how they train, how much they want it. That’s the real measure. Some fighters say they’re retiring, then change their minds and come back. I don’t think that’s the same.”
‘Mighty Mouse’ formally retired from combined martial arts in September, vacating his ONE flyweight world title at ONE 168: Denver shortly after his thirty eighth birthday.
Shevchenko, 36, will probably be making her 18th stroll to the Octagon this summer time when she units out to defend her flyweight title for the eighth time throughout two reigns.
