UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko delivered a fierce comeback to former bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey, who had criticized the UFC’s fighter pay structure and referenced Shevchenko in her argument.
During a press conference for the Most Valuable Promotion’s ‘Rousey vs. Carano’ event, Rousey expressed her view that the UFC no longer offers fair compensation to its athletes, leading many top fighters to seek opportunities elsewhere. To underscore her point, Rousey provocatively stated, “It’s why their champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] are selling pictures of their titties on OnlyFans.”
Shevchenko, known for her precise and aggressive style in the octagon, responded with similar directness on social media. “It’s 2026. Fighters using OnlyFans is just a new way to connect with fans,” Shevchenko posted. “Looks like Ronda slept too long after her last fight in 2016.” This witty retort highlighted the perceived outdated nature of Rousey’s perspective, given that Rousey herself last competed in December 2016.
Rousey is set to make a surprising return to MMA, facing Gina Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This highly anticipated bout marks Rousey’s first fight since December 2016, while Carano, 43, has not competed in MMA since August 2009.
