The GOAT debate in MMA is like your favorite bar argument—endless, passionate, and never quite resolved. One minute it’s Jon Jones leading the charge, the next it’s GSP, Anderson Silva, or Demetrious Johnson making their case with another insane stat or highlight reel finish. But every now and then, someone unexpected throws a wrench into the conversation. Enter Valentina Shevchenko.
While she’s not usually the first name tossed around, the flyweight queen just pulled off a feat that not even Jones, GSP, or Mighty Mouse can claim. And suddenly, the conversation has shifted—because records don’t lie.
Ever noticed those sparkling red gems on a UFC champion’s belt and wondered what they’re all about? Those rubies aren’t just for show—they’re a badge of honor.
Each ruby represents a successful title fight, marking the fighter’s continued dominance in their division, and ‘Bullet’ has 8. She earned the 8th last September at UFC Noche after defeating incumbent Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision. Surely, that makes the GOAT case for her, right? Well, not every fan agrees.
A fan replied, “How if GSP , Mighty Mouse and Silva all had more title defenses smh” misunderstanding the whole concept of time.
Fans on Instagram pic.twitter.com/TSk4Fgzz3x
— MMAFanatic (@FanaticMma10) May 6, 2025
It should be noted that this system was only introduced with the UFC Legacy Championship Belt in 2019, replacing the practice of awarding a new belt for each title win.
Now, champions receive a single belt, and with each successful defense, a white stone on the side plate is replaced with a ruby, visually chronicling their reign.
It’s a sleek way to showcase a champion’s legacy without cluttering their trophy case with multiple belts. However, it would appear, a lot of fans are unaware of it.
“I thought you got it for defending the belt?!?!” commented one, while another asked, “How does it count if she lost the belt though?”
Regardless of what fans have to say, Shevchenko will have the chance to defend her belt one more time this weekend and add another ruby to her name.
Shevchenko aims for 9th ruby
In the co-main event of UFC 315, Shevchenko is kicking off her second reign as flyweight champ with a tough test against top contender Manon Fiorot. After spending two years and three intense fights locked in a rivalry with Grasso, Shevchenko is right back where she started—on top of the 125-pound division.
She looked sharp in the trilogy closer, using her grappling to dominate and walk away with a clean sweep on the scorecards. That win pushed her flyweight record to 10-1-1 and her overall record to an impressive 24-4-1.
Interestingly, it’s been kind of wild how quickly things turned around for Shevchenko. Not long ago, people were wondering if she was past her prime.
Now, after reclaiming the belt, she’s silenced a lot of that talk.
On the other side of the octagon, Fiorot arrives in Montreal riding serious momentum. She’s unbeaten in her first seven UFC fights and has 12 straight wins overall.
In her last two bouts, she took out Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield with back-to-back unanimous decisions, proving she’s more than earned this shot. Hopefully, the fight is just as entertaining in the octagon as it is on paper.
