UFC champ Valentina Shevchenko hits back at rival, labels her a ‘puppy dog’

One of the longest reigning UFC champions has hit back at a rival, labelling her a “puppy” as she prepares for another title fight.

Matthew Sullivan

3 min read

March 3, 2023 - 1:41PM

Valentina Shevchenko and Erin Blanchfield. Photos: Getty Images.

One of the UFC’s longest reigning champions has labelled one of her up and coming rivals a “puppy dog”.

Valentina Shevchenko will defend her flyweight belt for the eighth time at UFC 285 against Alexa Grasso on Sunday (AEDT) before Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane’s heavyweight fight in the main event.

Watch UFC 285: Jones v Gane LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Sunday March 5 from 2pm AEDT. ORDER NOW >

But comments by No. 3 ranked flyweight Erin Blanchfield that have drawn the ire of Shevchenko in the lead up to the fight.

Blanchfield, who is undefeated from five UFC fights, claimed Shevchenko’s ground game is “very basic”.

“Valentina, I don’t think it’s any secret her striking is very good,” Blanchfield told the MMA Hour.

“Her Muay Thai is very crisp. She even has some decent body lock take-downs. But I think on the actual floor, her jiu-jitsu, it’s not bad. It’s just very, very basic.

“I don’t think she has many submissions. I don’t think she can get out of certain positions very well, like what we saw against Taila. I kind of think that’s where her game is the most basic and probably could use some improvement.”

“I know I could fight with Valentina anywhere, but against anybody in the flyweight division, I know that my jiu-jitsu is better.”

Valentina Shevchenko and Erin Blanchfield. Photos: Getty Images.

Shevchenko hit back at those claims, likening Blanchfield to a “puppy dog” and declaring the 23-year-old isn’t ready to challenge her for the title.

“It’s like comparing little puppies who growing up, they’re like humans, protecting them from any damage or hard situation where they can get on the street,” Shevchenko told news.com.au.

“But when they are growing up they feel everything and they enter into the adult world and start to feel that it’s not like a fairytale. They change their speak, they change their approach. “We have it already with Maisie Barber, with a lot of other fighters. Once they get in complicated situation they get smarter.

“For me, she (Blanchfield) is just a happy puppy running around with ears up. So I don’t take her comments seriously.”

Shevchenko, 34, joked she wants to stay in MMA for “30 years more” and said Blanchfield was talking a big game for a young fighter.

“I know that’s she’s using the platform to speak about herself right now and she fought Jessica Andrade and she has a big name in martial arts,” the flyweight champ said.

“But she took that fight on one week notice. I don’t think she even trained for that fight. “Fighting a prepared fighter is one thing but fighting one who is completely out of shape is completely different.

Valentina Shevchenko will defend her UFC flyweight belt for the eighth time. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

“Erin did what she did, using your platform to speak out. But she wants a title fight pretty soon, like next summer. I think she’s still not ready yet for the title fight, still green.

“For me, she’s 23 years old, very young. She doesn’t have experience. She has like five fights, that’s all.”

Nicknamed “Bullet”, Shevchenko has been the flyweight champion since 2018 and her hunger to stay on top is as strong as ever.

“Very easy. If you love what you do, every time it motivates you,” she said.

“Martial arts is my lifestyle, it’s my passion and I really love what I do. This year I’m celebrating 30 years of being a martial artist so it speaks for itself why I am still motivated.

“I’m creating the most powerful, strongest version of myself.”

UFC 285 Full Fight Card

Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane - heavyweight

Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso - flyweight