In April 2019, UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko visited her native Kyrgyzstan for the first time in several years. She arrived to a hero’s welcome, greeted by fighters, fans, and politicians alike.
During her stay in Kyrgyzstan, Shevchenko had the opportunity to meet with the president of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov. The Head of State congratulated Shevchenko on her victory and expressed his gratitude to coach Pavel Fedotov for helping her achieve such success. The President later invited Shevchenko to train annually in Kyrgyzstan and awarded her with the Dank Order for outstanding sporting achievements in the UFC.