The Joe Rogan ExperienceJRE MMA Show #115 with Valentina Schevchenko
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 3:17
Valentina’s languages and learning Thai through immersion
Joe and Valentina kick off by discussing her language skills and why she considers herself “still learning” Thai despite speaking it publicly. She explains her standard for fluency and how full cultural immersion accelerates real comprehension.
- 3:17 – 7:45
From Kyrgyzstan to South America: travel as a life philosophy
Valentina describes her upbringing in Kyrgyzstan, early competition, and the team’s move from Kyrgyzstan to Russia and then to South America. She emphasizes that exploration—culture, people, and lived experience—was the real driver, not just finding opponents or gyms.
- 7:45 – 10:57
Why the coach matters most: Pavel’s lifelong partnership
Joe digs into how Valentina maintained elite development while living abroad. Valentina stresses the most important constant is having the right coach, explaining how Pavel has been with her since age five and functions as part of a tight family-like team with her sister Antonina.
- 10:57 – 17:43
Thailand camps, Muay Thai ‘spirit,’ and learning beyond the gym
They discuss training in Thailand—first on islands, later representing Tiger Muay Thai—and what makes it special. Valentina argues that training quality includes absorbing local culture and mindset, not only grinding sessions inside the gym.
- 17:43 – 22:57
Building a ‘universal fighter’: Taekwondo roots to Muay Thai and MMA
Valentina outlines her martial arts progression: starting with ITF Taekwondo, then competing across many disciplines to become adaptable. She explains Pavel’s long-term goal of creating universal fighters and how women’s MMA opportunities shaped her focus toward Muay Thai before MMA exploded.
- 22:57 – 34:10
Dominant champion mindset: beauty, balance, and being lethal everywhere
Joe praises her dominance and asks about intentionally out-grappling opponents like Andrade and submitting Peña. Valentina explains her approach: train for all possible situations, avoid ego, and find the solution to win—anywhere—while keeping fights technically high-level.
- 34:10 – 37:56
Family influence and Soviet-era martial arts context
Valentina shares how her mother shaped her path, including enrolling both daughters in martial arts and dance. They also explore the Soviet Union’s restrictions on karate, the combat sports that were promoted, and how combat sambo relates to military training and modern MMA.
- 37:56 – 52:34
Being more than a fighter: dance, learning, and the role of a great teacher-coach
The conversation shifts to personal development and the idea that a person can master multiple disciplines. Valentina argues dance helped her balance and movement but insists great coaching—adapting techniques to each athlete’s body—is more important than any single cross-training method.
- 52:34 – 56:55
Longevity and prime years: why she avoids retirement deadlines
Joe asks about retirement and athletic prime. Valentina says she won’t set an end date because it psychologically pulls you toward finishing; instead she focuses on feeling strong, testing limits, and staying engaged with the lifestyle.
- 56:55 – 1:12:45
Training philosophy: minimal gadgets, one hard session, MMA integrated
Valentina explains her unconventional training approach: she dislikes weights, cardio machines, and even pads compared to sparring. She prefers integrated MMA sessions, mental toughness built inside hard training, and uses her own perception as the primary performance metric.
- 1:12:45 – 1:28:15
Opponents, weight classes, and the Amanda Nunes super-fight question
They explore sparring partners by weight, her early UFC run at 135, and why 125 is her natural class. Joe presses on a possible Nunes rematch and whether she’d add mass; Valentina says gaining weight would likely slow her down and won’t erase a naturally bigger fighter’s advantage.
- 1:28:15 – 1:45:29
Women’s MMA growth and the long road to the UFC
Joe and Valentina reflect on how quickly MMA evolved and how women’s divisions reached elite parity. Valentina recalls the VHS era of fight watching, early stars like Carano/Cyborg and Rousey’s UFC wave, and explains why her long pre-UFC journey helped her arrive mentally ready.
- 1:45:29 – 1:56:14
Guns and competition shooting: culture, history, and hunter games
Valentina discusses how Pavel introduced her to firearms and how she began competing in practical/defensive shooting (IPSC/IDPA-style). They dive into her interest in gun history, antique firearms, long-range shooting, and a demanding SIG Sauer ‘hunter games’ event blending endurance with precision.
- 1:56:14 – 2:03:29
Gun community, conservation funding, and education vs prohibition
Joe and Valentina push back on stereotypes about gun owners, arguing the community is welcoming and safety-focused. They discuss how hunters fund conservation (Pittman–Robertson Act) and advocate for education—both in firearm safety and martial arts—to reduce fear, accidents, and bullying.
- 2:03:29 – 2:29:29
Sparring debates, Thai ‘play sparring,’ and her protective full-contact approach
They close with a detailed sparring discussion: why it’s necessary, how it can be misused, and how to reduce damage. Valentina advocates for full-intensity sparring but with substantial protective gear, and explains that Thai light sparring is often shaped by how frequently Thais compete.
