Sometimes, to fly high, you need to drop the weight of whatever is tying you down. For UFC phenom Valentina Shevchenko’s sister, Antonina Shevchenko, it was her fighting career. She bid adieu to the world of mixed martial arts two weeks ago but instead of leaving her gloves in the Octagon, the 40-year-old left them in an IG post. Now, she was ready to dedicate all of her time to being a pilot. Needless to say, she proved that age is just a number by full-timing in aviation. And that’s how she received a heartfelt farewell letter from her sister.
2 weeks after ‘El Pantera’ decided to lay down her gloves for good, ‘Bullet’ took to X and wrote, “I want to extend my warmest wishes to her in this journey, knowing she will conquer the skies just as she conquered the ring and the octagon!” But becoming a full-fledged pilot is no easy thing. It demands an extensive knowledge of aviation science, impeccable concentration, willpower, and a sense of responsibility. Doesn’t this feel like the requirements of becoming a fighter? Shevchenko sure felt so.
‘Bullet’ continued, “Over the past seven years, Antonina has flown solo across America, from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic, and from the Canadian border to Mexico, navigating a small Cessna 172. She has landed at some of the most challenging small airfields in mountainous regions, deserts, and islands, even in the dead of night and during fog, tropical rains, and lightning storms.” She even held a lieutenant’s position at the Civil Air Patrol flight unit. Furthermore, she was the captain of an 8-seater Pilatus PC-12 aircraft for Tradewinds Airlines. That’s where she piloted the plane to San Barts airport, one of the most demanding airports in the world. And as of now, she flew Citation Latitude jet aircraft as a co-pilot on the East Coast of the USA.
Two weeks ago, my sister Antonina shared with me her decision to officially end her fighting career and dedicate herself fully being a pilot.
I want to extend my warmest wishes to her in this journey, knowing she will conquer the skies just as she conquered the ring and the… pic.twitter.com/qCbIg08fb9
— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) March 28, 2025
Not only did Valentina Shevchenko ‘s tweet confirm her sister’s retirement, but it also disclosed her plans for the future. But how did Antonina Shevchenko’s martial arts career look? As she declared in her retirement post on Instagram, she had already dedicated 30 years of her life to fighting. Let’s take a look at the former Thai boxer’s fighting history.
Valentina Shevchenko highlights her sister Antonina Shevchenko’s martial arts career
The UFC champion wrote, “She holds a 3rd Dan black belt in Taekwondo, has been an 11-time world champion in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA, and has participated in hundreds of fights in both amateur and professional. She is a champion of Asia and South America and has been recognized as an Honored Master of Sports and a UFC fighter.” Moreover, she became the world champion in professional MMA in South Korea in 2003. The same year, she won her first-ever Thai boxing title. Shevchenko continued, “Throughout her career, she has fought in various countries, including Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico, England, Thailand, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Sweden, France, Belarus, Russia, and the USA.”
‘La Pantera’ began her training in Kyrgyzstan, inspiring many others at her gym. Guided by coach Pavel Fedotov, she traversed through the hardships and developed herself as a fighter with a professional MMA record of 10-4. And that reflected in her performance on the canvas. ‘Bullet’ typed in, “In her fights, Antonina consistently showcased not only her strength but also the technique and beauty of martial arts. She was well-prepared and demonstrated mastery of various techniques, including taekwondo, Muay Thai, boxing, and grappling—essential skills for any versatile Mixed Martial Arts fighter.”
Needless to say, martial arts was something that ran deep with the Shevchenko sisters. And that was the key for the former UFC flyweight star to gain the knowledge needed to join the aviation world. It’s not just the energy, but also the exposure to different cultures that sanctioned fighting provides the fighters with, that enables them to expand their knowledge banks. The cherry on top was the exposure to learn languages like English, Russian, and Spanish, which helped her become a great pilot.
What do you think of Antonina Shevchenko’s move to the Aviation realm? Has ‘La Pantera’s story inspired you to run for your dreams? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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