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Valentina Shevchenko says UFC is continuing to have a ‘huge impact’ on women’s MMA a decade after Dana White’s refusal

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WOMEN’S mixed martial arts has grown exponentially over the last decade – with the UFC playing a huge role in the explosion of the sport.

Although the MMA leader wasn’t the first promotion to have women compete on their roster, they’re undoubtedly now leading the way when it comes to further growing the sport.

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Valentina Shevchenko believes the UFC are at the forefront of the growth of women’s MMA[/caption]
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Dana White initially said women would never fight in the UFC but performed a U-turn in 2012[/caption]

In addition to the promotion’s strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight queens – two of whom will be in action this weekend – female fighters are regularly given showcase spots on high-profile cards.

Such a scenario seemed unfathomable a decade ago when UFC president Dana White declared women would never fight in the promotion.

White’s softening of that stance in November 2012 – when he signed Hall-of-Famer Ronda Rousey – would change the landscape of the sport forever.

Without his U-turn and subsequent investment in women’s MMA – which is still very much ongoing – some of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time may very well have chosen to go down a different path.

One of the fighters who very well may have not seen the limelight is the imperious and dominant flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko.

And, like many of her fellow fighters, the Kyrgyzstani-born Peruvian believes women’s MMA wouldn’t be anywhere near its current position without the UFC.

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Shevchenko, who will defend her 125lb title against Jessica Andrade this weekend at UFC 261, told SunSport: “I think it’s [had] a huge impact on female competition, female martial arts.

“And definitely because of the UFC we have all of this coverage throughout the world and the attention of many millions of eyes on our fights.

“And I think it’s great. It’s amazing.

“It’s the dream of many women to do what they love to do and to have this kind of attention and enjoy the way they’re living their lives without [there] being judgements.”

The trajectory of women’s MMA is sky high with the beloved Amanda Nunes, Weili Zhang and Shevchenko championing the UFC’s four female divisions.

Shevchenko isn’t one to look too far into the future but believes it’s bright for women’s MMA.

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Kyrgyzstani-born Peruvian Shevchenko is one of the most dominant forces in mixed martial arts[/caption]

She said: “I don’t know [where it’ll be in the next five or ten years]. I hope somewhere very, very high.

“It’s hard to tell where we’re going to be.

“But definitely we’re going to be somewhere very far from this point. [Somewhere] even better and better.

“Because I think the [continued] progressing of female mixed martial arts is inevitable.”

Shevchenko has endeared herself to combat sports fans across the globe with her ferocious fighting style and genuine personality, the latter of which has played a huge factor in her success.

And staying true to one’s self is a piece of advice Bullet would give to young girls and women hoping to have a successful career in the sport.

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Valentina Shevchenko believes the future is bright for women’s mixed martial arts[/caption]
Valentina Shevchenko will defend her flyweight title against Jessica Andrade this weekend at UFC 264

She said: “I just love to be myself. And I think this is the most important thing.

“Because if you are trying to play someone’s role, it’s bad.

“Because all fans, all people, they’re going to feel that you’re not you. That you’re just playing someone. It’s not right, it’s not correct.

“You have to be yourself. You have to be fair, first of all, in front of yourself. In front of your eyes.

“And if you think this right, this is correct, you have to follow those exact rules.”

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