Hold your pee, bro.
Women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) remains a hot-button topic in 2026 — not because anyone is debating whether it belongs, but because a loud portion of the fan base still openly admits they don’t enjoy watching it. The familiar refrain is everywhere: “Oh, women are fighting next? Time for a beer run.”
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You’ll see it across social media and, yes, even in the lovely comment section of MMAMania.com.
Well, current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko isn’t buying the excuse — and she thinks the mindset is nonsense.
In a recent interview with Russian YouTube channel Ushatayka, Shevchenko was asked about fans who use women’s MMA as an opportunity to use the restroom — or, as the joke goes in Russia, “go make some tea.”
“In Russian-language MMA, there’s a very popular joke about women’s fights — that their main benefit is you can go make some tea while they’re on,” the interviewer explained to Shevchenko, to which she asked, “What’s your opinion?”
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“My opinion is that there are excellent, highly technical women’s fights. They’re very interesting,” the reporter added.
“That’s exactly the opinion that needs to be promoted,” Shevchenko replied. “Most people don’t ask themselves what, how, or why. They simply repeat what they’re told. Journalists say things from their platforms, and many people just repeat it without thinking.
“In reality, they don’t truly feel that way. The phrase lives on only because it’s repeated without engaging the mind,” she continued.
Shevchenko then outlined why she believes women’s MMA deserves more respect.
“First of all, the beautiful form that highlights physique and athleticism. A woman shows not only strength, but also grace. She controls her body and demonstrates complex, varied techniques. For example, spinning strikes — that’s very beautiful.”
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There’s no need to pretend all women’s MMA is must-watch television. Low-level WMMA can be brutal to watch— but so can men’s fights. Just ask anyone who sat through Denzel Freeman vs. Marek Bujlo or Billy Elekana vs. Ibo Aslan last year. Awful.
There’s also some irony in Shevchenko delivering the message, as two of her last three outings were far from thrilling. Still, she remains one of the greatest women’s fighters in the history of the sport.
Whether you appreciate women’s MMA or prefer timing your beer runs accordingly, one thing is certain: it’s not going anywhere.
