In 2026, fans are well aware of the infamous moment when Dana White flatly dismissed the idea of women ever competing in the UFC. On January 11, 2011, while leaving a restaurant, the UFC boss was approached by paparazzi and asked when women might fight inside the Octagon. His response was blunt: never. Yet, the narrative shifted dramatically just two years later.
In February 2013, Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche headlined UFC 157 for the bantamweight title, marking a historic turning point. Since then, women’s MMA has not only taken root but also become an integral part of the sport’s global rise. However, not everyone shares that sentiment.
Former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently stirred debate with his comments on women in MMA. Speaking at a Sun Hills Development event in Thailand, ‘The Eagle’ offered a candid and controversial perspective when asked about WMMA. He argued, “How do you personally feel when you go to the gym and get hit in the face? You haven’t been hit. But you don’t need that.”
He continued, “But there are women who choose this sport. It’s their choice. They chose it. If you ask me, I wouldn’t choose this sport for women. It’s brutal even for men, first of all. For women it’s… I don’t even consider it.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why he’s not a fan of women competing in MMA:
“Every person in life has a mission. For a man, it’s to raise children, take care of the family, take care of loved ones.
There are very few women who take on big responsibilities. It’s very hard for… pic.twitter.com/9r4uRw6dOr
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 26, 2026
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Nurmagomedov also reflected on traditional roles, adding, “But for me, it’s still something wild when a woman gets hit in the face. Whether it’s a man hitting or a woman hitting a woman. Especially if a woman is a mother, or has a couple of kids.”
Those remarks didn’t go unanswered. Reigning flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko fired back with a powerful response on social media, challenging the notion that women are unfit for combat sports. She started with, “Women are weak?! Tell that to my sister—an airline captain.”
She expanded her argument by pointing to women who have thrived in high-risk environments, “Or tell it to the ‘Night Witches’, the all-female bomber regiment of World War II, who dropped bombs under the cover of darkness with their engines off, then landed in pitch blackness without landing lights. For this, they earned a reputation for being elusive and deadly. Go ahead, tell them who is stronger.”
Women are weak?!
Tell that to my sister—an airline captain. Or tell it to the “Night Witches” the all-female bomber regiment of World War II, who dropped bombs under the cover of darkness with their engines off, then landed in pitch blackness without landing lights.For this,… https://t.co/ju36qA1nY5— Valentina The Bullet Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) March 28, 2026
Shevchenko emphasized that capability is shaped by upbringing rather than gender. She added, “It all depends entirely on one’s upbringing. You can just as easily raise a man to be a helpless milksop who is incapable of doing anything. Martial arts represent a warrior tradition where there is no distinction between man and woman. There is only the Art itself.”
She concluded with a broader perspective on why fighters train by saying, “That is precisely why people train: to become more graceful, stronger, and wiser—and to ensure that no one ever gets the chance to punch them in the face.”
The Kyrgyz legend made a compelling point, as women in MMA have shattered barriers over the past 15 years. Shevchenko herself stands among the greatest to ever compete in the sport, boasting seven title defenses and cementing her legacy as a two-time flyweight champion.
Fighters like Rousey helped ignite the movement, becoming one of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draws with six consecutive title defenses. That momentum carried forward through dominant champions such as Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, Miesha Tate, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, all of whom played pivotal roles in legitimizing and elevating the division.
Even White himself eventually reversed course, admitting in 2022 that he was wrong about women’s MMA. Today, its success stands as one of the sport’s most significant transformations, reshaping not just the UFC but the broader landscape of mixed martial arts.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.