HOUSTON – Antonina Shevchenko wants to change her trajectory in the UFC.
The women’s flyweight is done alternating wins and loses in her career, and she’s out to get consistency behind her victories starting Saturday night. Shevchenko (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on Andrea Lee (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) in a 125-pound contest on the preliminary card of UFC 262.
Shevchenko, sister of UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, is coming off a TKO win over Ariane Lipski last November at UFC 255. She wants to pick up a win Saturday in hopes to get her first pair of consecutive victories in the UFC.
“Yes, it feels exactly like a big fight exactly for that reason,” Shevchenko told reporters at UFC 262 media day on Wednesday. “I’ve had ups and downs, and to move forward and prove to myself I can do this, I have to have win and win and win. That’s what I have to do. That’s what I want to do. That’s why it’s important to have a win here following my last win.”
And it’s not just about a personal accomplishment. Shevchenko knows in order to move up the women’s flyweight ladder she needs to build a winning streak.
“This is what allows me to climb the division,” Shevchenko explained. ” (If) I’m just up, down, up, down then I’m just going to stay in my position (of) 12 or 15 in the rankings. So if I want to be better in top positions, I have to win and win.”
Shevchenko knows she’s got a formidable opponent on Saturday despite what the records show. Lee has three consecutive defeats and last won in June 2019. The American had two close split decision defeats in that three-fight run of losses.
“She’s a good, strong opponent,” Shevchenko said. “She has three losses, but it was against high-ranking opponents.
“So of course, it would bring her into a situation where she’s more motivated for the victory because she doesn’t want to have four loses in a row. She might be more aggressive, and she’s fighting in her home, she’s local. The stadium is going to be full of people and fans, so I understand all of this, and I’m ready for all of this. The only thing I care about is my performance. That’s it.”
Antonina Shevchenko seeks consistency at UFC 262: ‘I have to win and win’
