UFC 322: Valentina Shevchenko full media day interview
UFC 322 co-headliner Valentina Shevchenko spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for her women’s flyweight title defense vs. Zhang Weili
NEW YORK – Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili, at least on paper, could be the biggest women’s fight in UFC history, but don’t tell that to the sitting champion.
Shevchenko (25-4-1 MMA, 14-3-1 UFC) is set to put her women’s flyweight title on the line against Weili (26-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who vacated her strawweight belt for a chance to be a two-division champion, in the co-main event of UFC 322 (ESPN+ pay-per-view) on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Shevchenko, 37, is going for her ninth title defense over two reigns and 11th win in title fights, which would tie Amanda Nunes’ UFC record.
With all the hype surrounding the matchup, it could be easy to get caught up in it, but that’s not the case for Shevchenko – or, rather, the time to be emotional was during training camp, not with the superfight just days away.
“Not have emotion during the fight week, because it’s impossible to not have any emotion during training camp,” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Wednesday’s UFC 322 media day. “Training camp is a long time, and you have all roller coasters when you cannot sleep during the night, you think about the fight, you’re analyzing all the fights of your opponent. It’s work; it’s hard work.
“But close to the fight, this is what I mean: not without emotions but with steady energy. This the most important for me, steady energy.”
Despite being the naturally bigger fighter, Shevchenko, who used to fight as a bantamweight, could have her work cut out for her against Weili, who enters UFC 322 on a five-fight winning streak that includes three title defenses. Impressive as Weili has been throughout her career, Shevchenko won’t get caught up in that either and remains all business.
“When I approach to my opponents and see their fights, it’s not about being impressed or something like that. It’s just cold-minded study,” Shevchenko said. “You see what she’s good at, you see what she’s bad at, and you have to know where to be careful, where to be focused, what to avoid, and what to use to get the victory, to get the early finish.”
