UFC star Valentina Shevchenko has issued a strong rebuke to Ronda Rousey following Rousey’s recent criticisms of fighter compensation within the UFC. Rousey had brought up Shevchenko’s name while arguing that fighters are still inadequately paid, even after the promotion’s substantial seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount.
Rousey is scheduled to make her MMA comeback on May 16 in a cage bout against Gina Carano. This event will headline Netflix’s inaugural live MMA broadcast and MVP’s first MMA event.
During the press conference for her upcoming fight with Carano, Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey cited Valentina Shevchenko’s OnlyFans account and other ventures as examples of why UFC fighters cannot depend solely on their fight earnings to sustain themselves.
Rousey has now joined a growing list of figures, including Jon Jones, Conor Benn, and Eddie Hearn, who have voiced concerns over the UFC’s treatment and underpayment of its athletes. At the press conference, Rousey openly attacked her former boss, Dana White, asserting that the UFC is “one of the worst places to go.” She claimed, “So many of their top athletes are leaving to find and pay elsewhere.”
She then specifically mentioned Shevchenko, stating, “It’s why their champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] are selling pictures of their ti*ties on OnlyFans.”
Valentina Shevchenko Responds to Ronda Rousey’s OnlyFans Remark
Ronda Rousey’s remarks did not sit well with the two-time and current UFC women’s flyweight champion. Valentina Shevchenko swiftly retaliated on X, writing:
“It’s 2026. Fighters using OnlyFans is just a new way to connect with fans 💖 Looks like Ronda slept too long after her last fight in 2016 😴”
Shevchenko launched her OnlyFans page in December 2024, where she shares training footage, travel vlogs, and glimpses into her life outside the octagon, a far cry from what Rousey implied. Fellow fighter Cris Cyborg also publicly supported Shevchenko, commenting, “❤ I love your @OnlyFans page and following your travels.”
A netizen further corrected Rousey’s perception, noting, “Some people think everyone on OnlyFans sells their nude.” The popular subscription-based platform, once primarily associated with adult content, has evolved into a widely used space for athletes, musicians, and creators to share various forms of content and engage with their fanbase, as Shevchenko highlighted in her response to Rousey.
