Valentina Shevchenko is one of the most decorated female combat sports athletes. She has a phenomenal record both in kickboxing as well as MMA. Shevchenko, a woman of multiple nationalities, has won the gold medal at the IFMA World Muay Thai Championships representing Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Peru, on different occasions.
Various experiences in her life have inspired her to get inked on multiple occasions. She has six tattoos. All tattoos have specific meanings. Let’s look at Shevchenko’s tattoos and why she got them inked.
Firstly, in 2006, when she was around 18 years old, she got inked on her left shoulder. It is an emblem of the Federation of Muay Thai Boxing of Kyrgyzstan. It also has two snow leopards drawn in it in a unique way.
According to Body Art Guru, Shevchenko said, “The first, on my shoulder, I had done in 2006 after the World Championship of Muay Thai in Thailand… On it the emblem of the Federation of Thai boxing of the Kirghiz Republic and the same time emblem of the club of my trainer Pavel Fedotov with whom I have trained all my life since childhood and for whom I am obliged by all achievements which I have.
By the way, this emblem is my talisman, on it 2 snow leopards executed in the style of the Kyrgyz national pattern.”
Another tattoo representing the Kyrgyz national pattern is present on her right upper-back area. Shevchenko has a tribal eye tattoo on her lower back. It is an elaborate design. The tribal eye is considered a symbol of good luck and it is known to subdue one’s enemies.
Valentina Shevchenko shows off her love for shooting and combat sports
Shevchenko has a tattoo of a Glock 19 on her abdominal area. In an interview ahead of UFC 238, Shevchenko, who is nicknamed ‘bullet’, explained the meaning of it. “I’ve been involved in shooting sports a lot. It’s one of my biggest passions. Now I feel it has the same part of my life as martial arts.
“I very love to shoot with Glock. It’s very good gun because it can shoot everywhere. It’s very easy to carry. It can survive in different condition of weather or whatever, and that’s why I have tattoo on my body of a Glock 19.”
On her upper back, she has a tattoo in Chinese. The word ‘Tai chi’ is inked vertically right in the middle of her upper back. Tai chi is an internal Chinese martial art. It is practiced for self-defense and health.
According to Body Art Guru, Shevchenko once said of her love for Muay Thai, “For me, it’s not only sports Muay Thai is my life. Some people think that Muay Thai is dangerous to your health, but that is not so. If competently trained nothing terrible will happen.”
Lastly, Shevchenko has a deity inked on the right side of her stomach. A Thai Hanuman, which is part of the Thai version of the Hindu epic Ramayana (Ramakien), was inked on her body reportedly after the IFMA World Championships in 2009.
