Sister of beloved UFC champion announces retirement from MMA

Add another UFC fighter to the retirement list.

As of late, there has been a small wave of MMA fighters hanging up their gloves. Jalin Turner revealed he’s walking away from pro MMA competition following a submission loss to Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 313 on March 8. Just a few weeks later, Molly McCann left her gloves inside the Octagon following her first-round submission loss to Alexia Thainara at UFC London.

In the latest bit of MMA retirement news, the sister of UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko is moving on.

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Antonina Shevchenko Retires from UFC and MMA

Antonina Shevchenko took to her Instagram account to announce that she has decided to retire from pro MMA competition.

“Dear friends! I didn’t have the opportunity to leave my gloves in the octagon by tradition, I didn’t think my fight in UFC in 2022 would be the last. I am leaving my gloves in this post 30 years in sport, black belt 3rd dan in Taekwondo, 11 World Champion titles in Muay Thai, Kickboxing and MMA. More than 400 fights in amateurs and professionals, Asian and South American Champion, UFC fighter. This is how I finish my career in professional sport. Of course, martial arts continue to be big part of my life but in different way.”

Shevchenko competed in MMA, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. She made her UFC debut in late 2018 following a successful showing on “Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.” Shevchenko went 4-4 in eight bouts under the UFC banner. Her last pro MMA bout took place in July 2022. She scored a split decision victory over Cortney Casey.

As Shevchenko mentioned in her statement, she didn’t anticipate the Casey bout being her last as a prizefighter. The 40-year-old retires with a pro MMA record of 10-4.