From Erin Blanchfield and Casey O’Neill to Maycee Barber, Miranda Maverick, and Natalia Silva, there are a number of skilled, developing competitors scattered throughout the Top 15 and just outside the rankings all moving forward in hopes of one day sitting in the throne Shevchenko has occupied since winning the title at UFC 231.
And the current longest reigning champion in the UFC is thrilled to see the next generation making their ascent.
“It’s amazing,” she said when asked about the pack of young fighters climbing the rankings. “To see how the generations changed, but you are still there and you are the best? It’s an amazing feeling!”
Shevchenko laughed as she said this, playful on a Thursday afternoon while continuing to enjoy being home in her native Kyrgyzstan, and in great spirits overall.
Look Back At Some Of UFC’s Most Historic January Finishes
Just as the UFC is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, 2023 also marks 30 years of Shevchenko being a martial artist, and that longevity and her deep desire to continue competing at the highest level for as long as she can fills her with joy and excitement.
“1993 is when UFC had its first event, this is the year when I started to practice martial arts, so it’s 30 years of UFC and my anniversary of being a martial artist,” she said. “For me, being a martial artist, it’s showing that a person can stay fighting and stay healthy – mentally and physically – for a long time at a high level of competition.
“It shows a person can last long — that a professional fighting career is not only five years, 10 years, it can be whatever you want. The only thing is that you have to have the right control, the right settings. I want to show there are no limits. We’re the only people that put limits inside our heads.”