"No one has the right' - When Valentina Shevchenko put her foot down against Khabib Nurmagomedov for calling UFC ring girls 'useless'

While Valentina Shevchenko isn't one to stir controversy, the former UFC women's flyweight champion couldn't help calling out Khabib Nurmagomedov for his comments on the relevancy of ring girls in MMA in September 2021.

For context, Nurmagomedov dismissed ring girls as essential parts of any MMA organization during a press conference for his Eagle Fighting Championship promotion. When asked if he would hire ring girls for his MMA promotion, 'The Eagle' firmly refused and claimed they served no purpose.

The former UFC lightweight champion's words proved quite controversial, with many debating his opinions on ring girls on social media. High-profile octagon girls like Arianny Celeste and Brittney Palmer notably fired back at Nurmagomedov for his comments on social media and during interviews.

Valentina Shevchenko was among the most prominent voices to speak in favour of the ring girls. After her sixth title defense against Lauren Murphy at UFC 266, 'Bullet' used the post-fight presser to support all ring girls in combat sports. She said:

"Beautiful women are a decoration of any event, and I want people to know that, and no one has the right to say they are useless because they are in the place where they have to be."

Catch Shevchenko's comments below (17:13):

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Alexa Grasso on rematching Valentina Shevchenko at Noche UFC

Alexa Grasso isn't complaining about having to face Valentina Shevchenko twice in six months. After Grasso beat Shevchenko at UFC 285 in March to claim the women's flyweight title, the Mexican knew she would have to beat 'Bullet' more than once to cement her position at the division's top.

Grasso is set to face Shevchenko in their title rematch at Noche UFC on September 16 in Las Vegas. The special Mexican Independence Day event will take place at the T-Mobile Arena. After Grasso's shocking fourth-round submission win over the longtime champion, many expected Shevchenko's incredible resume to warrant her an immediate rematch.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie in Spanish, Alexa Grasso weighed in on her upcoming rubber match against Valentina Shevchenko this weekend. When asked if she agreed with the idea of fighting the former flyweight queen once again, Grasso replied:

"Yeah, of course. This is something that’s done, that’s tradition when a very dominant champion loses for the first time. It’s out of respect, and she deserves the rematch. I’m someone who respects the rules and abides by the company’s decision." (h/t mmajunkie.usatoday.com)

Watch the full interview in Spanish below: