Rarely if ever has one fighter single-handedly defined a UFC weight class, but a strong case can be made that Valentina Shevchenko is the women's flyweight division.
Of course, the Kyrgyz striker wasn't the first fighter to hold the championship. That distinction belongs to Nicco Montano who claimed the inaugural title after triumphing in The Ultimate Fighter season 26 finale in December 2017.
Since then however, every single title fight contested in the division has included the Bullet, and she has rarely faltered - recording a remarkable 10-1-1 record during that period.
Current UFC women's flyweight champion
After holding the belt for more than 1,500 days in her first reign Valentina Shevchenko suffered her first career defeat at 125lbs when she was submitted by Alexa Grasso at UFC 285.
Having more than earned the right to an immediate rematch, the pair met once again six months later where Grasso defended her belt following a contentious split draw on the judges' scorecards.
When they met for a trilogy fight at the UFC Noche 2 card at the Sphere, Shevchenko offered a timely reminder of why she is consistently ranked among the most dominant fighters ever to grace the Octagon as she dominated the champion over five rounds to reclaim her title.
Since then Shevchenko has picked up right where she left off, besting top contender Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 before denying Zhang Weilei in her bid to become just the second woman to secure UFC double-champion status in November 2025.
Title Won | Defeated Alexa Grasso (SUB) - June 2025 |
Title Defences (current reign) | 2 |
Previous UFC women's flyweight champions
Nicco Montano (December 2017 - September 2018; stripped)
Valentina Shevchenko (December 2018 - March 2023; seven defences)
Alexa Grasso (March 2023 - September 2024; one defence)
