UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko hit back at former champion Ronda Rousey after Rousey criticized UFC fighter pay by referencing Shevchenko's OnlyFans account during a press conference. Shevchenko defended the platform as a way to connect with fans in 2026. The exchange highlights ongoing debates about compensation in mixed martial arts.
Ronda Rousey, preparing for her MMA return against Gina Carano on May 16, 2026, via Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions, used a press conference on March 10, 2026, in Los Angeles to voice frustrations with UFC fighter pay. She described the UFC as "one of the worst places" for athletes to make a living, citing the promotion's recent $7.7 billion deal with Paramount as evidence it could afford better wages.
"It’s why so many of their top athletes are leaving to go and find pay elsewhere," Rousey said. "It’s why their champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] are selling pictures of their titties on OnlyFans. These people, a lot of them at the ground level, they can’t support their families. They’re living poverty-level fighting full-time."
Rousey, who last fought in 2016 and held the UFC women's bantamweight title for over two years, argued that low pay drives talent to other sports like boxing or football due to the UFC's focus on shareholders over fighters.
Shevchenko, the current UFC women's flyweight champion since 2015 with two title reigns and ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, quickly responded on social media platform X. Her OnlyFans, launched in December 2024, features training clips, travel vlogs, and aspects of her life outside the octagon, without adult content.
"It’s 2026. Fighters using OnlyFans is just a new way to connect with fans," Shevchenko wrote. "Looks like Ronda slept too long after her last fight in 2016."
Support came from Cris Cyborg, who commented, "I love your OnlyFans page and following your travels." The incident underscores broader discontent in MMA, including recent issues with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, amid Rousey's promotion of her bout with Carano.
