At 37 years old, Valentina Shevchenko has fairly established herself among the greats of WMMA. However, her journey to the top wasn’t as smooth as some other highly decorated legends have had. Not everybody had it like Khabib Nurmagomedov, who signed off with a 29-0 record, and ‘Bullet’ is just one of those fighters who could not avoid a few blemishes in her record.

Her record reads 25-4-1, a resume stacked with world titles across three combat sports and seven straight flyweight title defenses, yet every loss tells its own story. And as she prepares to face Zhang Weili at UFC 322, fans have begun revisiting those rare moments where the seemingly untouchable ‘Bullet’ was clipped. Which opponents managed to beat her? How did those defeats unfold? And how did she turn each setback into ammunition for her next run?

Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC Losses: Amanda Nunes Twice and Alexa Grasso

Did you know Valentina Shevchenko started her UFC career as a bantamweight? Yes, she did, and without a doubt, took the fight against notable former champions like Julianna Pena and Holly Holm before everything came crashing down when she stood opposite Amanda Nunes for the first time. As we all know, ‘The Lioness’ is arguably the greatest female fighter that this sport has ever seen, and she proved that to ‘Bullet’ on two separate occasions.

The first time Valentina Shevchenko and Amanda Nunes locked horns was at UFC 196, which was headlined by the iconic bout between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor. The Kyrgyz star fought valiantly but failed to get the better of the former double champion and succumbed to a decision loss. Then again, Shevchenko would get the same result when she fought Nunes for a second time, but this time the bantamweight title was up for grabs.

The second fight turned out to be closer than the previous one as Amanda Nunes just edged past Valentina Shevchenko after the judges favored her with a split decision victory. This loss was enough to ignite the fire within ‘Bullet’, who would go on to secure a 9-fight winning streak in the flyweight division following her second UFC loss, winning the title in the process.

Shevchenko would defend her title seven times, which is a record in the UFC, before butting heads with Alexa Grasso at UFC 285. The Mexican star would tap ‘Bullet’ out to win the flyweight strap and became the queen of the 125’ers. Hence, there are only three losses in Shevchenko’s UFC career, but had she lost before she came into the UFC? Well, unfortunately, she has.

Pre-UFC Defeat: Liz Carmouche and Shevchenko’s Early MMA Career

Valentina Shevchenko has been fighting for well over two decades. While her early career was mostly her venture in kickboxing, she did manage to rack up a 7-fight winning streak in MMA from the day she debuted, before she faced her first and only MMA loss, before coming into the UFC. Interestingly, Shevchenko’s first MMA loss came against a former UFC and current PFL fighter, Liz Carmouche.

Shevchenko and Carmouche battled each other in 2010 at C3 Fights: Red River Rivalry, where the latter handed the Ukrainian star her first TKO loss. She rebounded the following year with a unanimous decision win, then took another break to compete in amateur Muay Thai. When she returned in 2013, she logged two quick TKOs at Fusion FC, pushing her record to 10–1.

Legacy FC signed her in 2014. She fought Jan Finney at Legacy FC 39 and won by a clean sweep on the scorecards. Shortly after, she entered the UFC, where her real legacy was waiting.

How Valentina Shevchenko Rebounded After Each Defeat to Become Flyweight Champ

The greatest mark of Shevchenko’s career isn’t perfection, it’s resilience. After her first UFC defeat to Amanda Nunes, she returned to face Holly Holm at UFC on FOX, winning by dominant unanimous decision. She did the same after the second Nunes fight, shifting divisions entirely and carving a path straight to the flyweight crown.

Her victory over Priscila Cachoeira in 2018 was a brutal reminder of how wide the gap was between Shevchenko and the rest of the division. She outstruck Cachoeira 230–3, a jaw-dropping stat that earned her Performance of the Night. From there, she defended the flyweight belt seven times, the longest streak in its history.

And when Alexa Grasso stunned the world in 2023, Shevchenko did what she always does: she rebuilt. She coached TUF 32, sharpened her tools, and reclaimed the championship in their 2024 trilogy. Today, she stands as a two-time champion preparing for another massive test: Zhang Weili at UFC 322. Her losses were setbacks, yes. But each one became fuel. Each one shaped the champion she is now.