Las Vegas, NV — Like Thanos and his Infinity Stones, UFC ladies’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has been amassing treasured gems of her personal: rubies.

With every title protection, one other ruby is affixed to her championship belt. So it was no shock to seek out her retaining with that theme on the 14th Annual World MMA Awards in Las Vegas this previous Friday.

“That is simply my purpose, to maintain profitable, to maintain being the champion,” she informed Cageside Press forward of the awards ceremony. “Humorous you point out defending the belt, I hear rather a lot about, greatest mates of a woman are diamonds, however in fighter’s case, it’s rubies. That’s why there’s loads of rubies on me.”

Persevering with to defend her belt is the main target for Shevchenko (23-3) as of late, regardless of speak of probably heading to bantamweight to problem for a second title. Shevchenko now stands because the longest-serving UFC champion, discounting Amanda Nunes’ run as ladies’s featherweight champ in a division that doesn’t actually exist within the promotion.

Alexa Grasso and Manon Fiorot are each potentialities to problem for the belt. A rematch with Taila Santos, who gave “Bullet” her hardest check at 125lbs, has additionally been mulled, although Shevchenko believes she has to earn it.

“You already know, I used to be prepared for when Alexa Grasso gained her struggle, I used to be like ‘okay, Alexa subsequent!’ Then Manon Fiorot, she gained her struggle, ‘okay, she’s good, she’s going to be the subsequent.’ I’m prepared for any woman,” mentioned Shevchenko. However on the subject of Taila Santos, “she has to construct up just a little bit her title once more, as a result of revenge doesn’t work like that,” the flyweight champ added. “I really feel like women like her, they gained a couple of fights, typically they misplaced, however they’ve an excessive amount of ego. And they’re beginning to discuss that. However I believe the true martial artist has to show that they deserve this revenge.”

Watch our full interview with UFC ladies’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko above.