New York, NY – Women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko shut down her emotions during Fight Week, she clarified during Wednesday’s UFC 322 media day.
The two-time women’s 125-pound champion was asked about blocking out emotions during training camp, but admitted it would be too tall an order.
“No, it’s like emotion, don’t have emotions during fight week. Because it’s impossible not to have emotions during training camp,” Shevchenko (25-4-1) told media, including Cageside Press in New York City. “Training camp, it takes a long time. And you have roller coasters where you can’t sleep at night, you think about the fight, you analyze all your opponent’s fights – it’s work. It’s hard work.”
Instead of emotion, Shevchenko channels “steady energy” during fight week, she added. “This is the most important thing [thing] for me. Stable energy.”
When it comes to her opponents, it is a “cold study” that Shevchenko is trying to conduct. The investigation this time focused on former strawweight champion Weili Zhang, who gave up her 115-pound title to pursue another title against ‘Bullet.’
Shevchenko knows how good Zhang is because he is a UFC champion. However, she was unwilling to discredit any of her former title challengers and declared Zhang her biggest threat, noting that they all fought in the best organization in the world.
UFC 322 marks the first time Valentina Shevchenko will fight at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. Speaking about her hopes for her first fight at the famous venue, the 37-year-old lifelong martial artist said: “I don’t want to leave anything that I will regret later. And I want to show the beauty of martial arts, like I said. To show not only who has a stronger head or something like that, but also the beauty of martial arts.”
As for the city itself, it’s a return of sorts for Shevchenko. Despite not having fought in the city, Shevchenko does have history with it. “New York is a very special place for me. I have spent many different occasions here, many times in this beautiful city. In particular, I spent a few years here filming with Halle Berry her directorial debut, Bruised.” Shevchenko spent two months filming in the city, she added.
Watch Valentina Shevchenko’s full UFC 322 media day appearance above.
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