While most siblings would rather not fight at the same event, Antonina Shevchenko is pushing for it.
Shevchenko has had her sister, UFC flyweight champion Valentina, in her corner for every one of her UFC fights. But they have yet to compete on the same card in the UFC.
Shevchenko (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who’s split her first four UFC appearances, most recently competed in May, when she suffered a unanimous decision loss to Katlyn Chookagian.
Valentina is scheduled to defend her flyweight title against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255 on Nov. 21, and Antonina is hoping to land on the same card.
“Valentina will fight in November. She already has her fight, and we are thinking to ask about fighting on the same card,” Antonina told MMA Junkie. “It would be a good time for me because I have good rest, good time for me to prepare, and it would just be good timing training together and having training camp at the same time. It would be comfortable. So I hope we can find a fight for me on the same card in November.”
While Shevchenko admits that it’s probably harder on her sister, who as a champion will always compete after her, they’re already used to sharing the same card from back in their kickboxing and muay Thai days.
“I’m not sure about enjoying, but it’s convenient,” Shevchenko said. “It’s definitely difficult to have the same coach on fight night. It’s kind of difficult, but it’s more difficult for Valentina because I will fight first and she would fight on the main card, main or co-main event fight, so she will fight after me. So she will have this situation where maybe her coach isn’t with her all the time – sometimes he’ll be with me.
“But we had this situation during all our lives before UFC on all our world championships – it was the same situation. It was almost every time that we had the same training camp, same competition, and same fight night, and that’s why we kind of know what to do, how to make it work. That’s why it’s very convenient, very comfortable for us.”