‘I can make him lose all his gold!’ UFC's Shevchenko on ‘intergender champion’ callout from Cejudo

UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has responded to Henry Cejudo’s call out to meet him in an ‘intergender’ championship match-up by warning the self-styled ‘Triple C’ to be “careful what you wish” for.

In a video interview with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani on Monday, Shevchenko was questioned as to who her next opponent might be following her comfrotable title defence against Liz Carmouche at UFC Fight Night 156 in Montevideo, Uruguay, to avenge her first career defeat.

“Right now I have two opponents in my fight for the next title defence: first it’s [women's flyweight No.2 contender] Katlyn Chookagian, and the second one is Henry Cejudo,” the Kyrgyzstani fighter laughed, revealing she was aware of the ‘public service announcement’ published by Cejudo.

In the video, the 2008 Olympic freestyle wrestling champion at 55kg and current UFC bantamweight and featherweight title holder Cejudo told Shevchenko: “I am looking to become the first intergender world champion that this world has ever seen. I’m calling you out.'”

“Sure, I saw [the video]. And you know, I can say: be careful what you wish [for] because he’s all gold hunter but I can make it happen that he will lose all his gold forever!” Shevchenko warned.

“He’s very insistent in this. But I say: be careful what you wish [for]...I’m not afraid anything. I told after my fight that I wait everyone inside the octagon.”

When asked what she thought of the ‘intergender’ title, yet another invention of the ‘King of Cringe’, Shevchenko replied in bewildered fashion, much like the rest of the combat sports world.

“Intergender,” the 31-year-old giggled. “First when I saw it I laugh of course. It was funny to hear this thing yeah and I was expecting some kind of congratulations or whatever!”

But the congratulations weren’t forthcoming and Cejudo didn’t pass up the opportunity to antagonise further by chirping up - “I will become the intergender champion of the world mark my words! - Triple C” - in the comments to the post.