No rest is no worry for UFC 196's Valentina Shevchenko

UFC 196’s Valentina Shevchenko hasn’t had much time to think about her career in the octagon, but that’s probably a good thing.

Just three months ago, she was stepping inside the cage to face off with a highly regarded opponent. No one, save the most dedicated of fans and observers, knew who she was.

Now Shevchenko (12-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is set for her second UFC appearance, facing top prospect Amanda Nunes (11-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at Saturday’s UFC 196 pay-per-view opener at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Shevchenko is in Las Vegas preparing for the bout, but it’s not her habit to think too far ahead about what it will be like to step on the scales or to look into her opponent’s eyes.

“Usually, when you’re in the octagon, you’re there,” she told MMAjunkie Radio. “You don’t think about this, because if you start to think, it’s not a fight. In the fight, everything goes fast, and you don’t have time to think.”

It’s a big stage for someone with so little experience in the promotion, but the Russian and Peruvian fighter wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I need to keep preparing and keep busy,” she said. “That’s what I love to do, to be busy all the time.”

The 27-year-old fighter made an impressive debut this past December when she stepped in on short notice against Sarah Kaufman and pulled off a split decision upset over the women’s MMA vet.

A former muay Thai champion and one of many in her family to compete in martial arts, Shevchenko entered the UFC as a Legacy FC veteran who’d thrice beaten current women’s strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the kickboxing ring. The up-and-comer said her days of cutting weight are behind her, though, with bantamweight her sole focus.

“All my time and concentration is at 135,” she said. “I was happy fighting in Legacy promotions, and I’m very happy that I came to the UFC. I will do my best to show a beautiful fight in the UFC.”

Now that she has more time to prepare, Shevchenko said she’ll be able to put on a better show against Nunes, who’s won her past two UFC fights in devastating fashion.

If Shevchenko performs as well as she did against Kaufman, however, the fight could be a close one.

“I’m ready for her, 100 percent,” she said.

With that said, Shevchenko isn’t making any predictions about what will happen inside the cage.

“I prepare to demonstrate all the styles I have,” she said. “You can never say I’ll finish a fight this way. You can be ready and prepared for everything.”

For more on UFC 196, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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