14-fight MMA veteran retires to focus on new career as a pilot after 4-4 UFC run
03/27/2025 06:48 PM
Where one UFC career ends, another one takes off… literally.
Antonina Shevchenko, older sister of current UFC women’s flyweight champion and pound-for-pound queen Valentina Shevchenko, has dreams beyond fighting the women in the world at 125lbs.
Shevchenko’s been in the UFC since 2018 with her most recent Octagon appearance in July 2022, a split decision victory over Cortney Casey. We haven’t seen her since.
Earlier this week, the 8-fight UFC veteran was removed from the UFC roster with Shevchenko later confirming the end of her fighting career.
Antonina Shevchenko opens up on retirement
On Thursday, Shevchenko announced her MMA retirement in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“Dear friends! I didn't have the opportunity to leave my gloves in the octagon by tradition,” Shevchenko wrote.
“I didn't think my fight in UFC in 2022 would be the last. "I am leaving my gloves" in this post.
“30 years in sport, black belt 3rd dan in Taekwondo, 11 World Champion titles in Muay Thai, Kickboxing and MMA. More than 400 fights in amateurs and professionals, Asian and South American Champion, UFC fighter.
“This is how I finish my career in professional sport,” Shevchenko said. “Of course, martial arts continue to be big part of my life but in different way.”
Antonina Shevchenko wants to become a pilot
Shevchenko, 40, made her pro MMA debut in 2002 and has a record of 10-4 (8-4 in the UFC). She signed to the UFC after a stellar KO on Dana White’s Contender Series.
‘La Pantera’ defeated the likes of Ji Yeon Kim, Lucie Pudilova and Ariane Lipski da Silva. After four years of fighting in the UFC, Shevchenko said: “It's time to be focused on the next page – my career as a pilot.”
“My heart and my head are completely fulled with airplanes and sky and it's hard to express how happy I am that aviation has come into my life!”
“We will cheer together for my sister now!” Shevchenko mentioned her sister Valentina.
“Blue skies!”
Antonina Shevchenko made $100,000 in bonuses in the UFC, saying her performances helped pay for flight school.
