UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has opened up about a unique clause in her contact which allows her to fight as much as she likes.
Title fights in the UFC are usually the headline or co-headline fight at big, PPV events.
This means whoever holds the belt is usually only required to defend it once or twice a year.
‘As Much As I Can’
But the flyweight champion wants to fight ‘as much as possible’, and so made a specific contract request that allowed her to defend her belt on all platforms.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, Shevchenko explained she made the request because the more she fights, the happier she is.
“I’m a person who wants to compete more often and as much as I can,” she said.
“That’s why, when I signed my new agreement with UFC, one of the things I asked is to be able to compete not only in pay-per-views, but also in different events of UFC to be able to compete more often.
“So, for me, the more often I compete, the more happy I am.”
Headliners
Shevchenko will defend her title against Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 247 on February 8, on the same card as Jon Jones’s title fight with Dominick Reyes.
Her headline bout in Houston will be sure to generate a big paycheck.
But the Kyrgyzstani says while the money is important, it’s not a lavish lifestyle that’s important to her but continuing to better herself.
“This mentality came from very, very far away,” she said.
“I was growing up with this idea that it doesn’t matter what you are doing, the most important is the journey and what you get through this.”
“Of course when you get more money it’s a great thing.”
“What I think about money is it gives you certain freedom in your actions.”
“I don’t want to spend money on buying a car,”
“I don’t want to spend money buying houses or things.”
“I want to spend money on my travels, to invest in myself, to learn more, to get more knowledge for exploring new things.”
‘I Am Ready’
While she intends to defend her title as much as possible throughout 2020, the 31-year-old says she’s still fully focused on her next challenge against Chookagian and will take each fight as it comes.
“I am ready for this fight with all my 100 percent,”
“I am ready to do anything that I should do.”
“I will see the moment to finish the fight by KO or submission or whatever.”
Shevchenko’s last title defence came against Liz Carmouche, who she beat via unanimous decision.
She had previously knocked out Jessica Eye to retain gold.
Will Shevchenko successfully defend her title for a third time, and how many times could we see her in the Octagon in 2020?
(Featured image source: Instagram/ Valentina Shevchenko)