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Nolan King and Mike Bohn

Gatekeeper to Valentina Shevchenko? Katlyn Chookagian would rather be UFC champ, but ‘it’s not a bad place to be’

Katlyn Chookagian Valentina Shevchenko UFC Alexa Grasso MMA Junkie UFC 280

ABU DHABI – Katlyn Chookagian is in a weird spot, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Perennially among the top few women’s flyweights in the UFC rankings, Chookagian (18-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC) has proven to be a difficult out to nearly every opponent not named Valentina Shevchenko (23-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC). Seemingly in the role as an unofficial gatekeeper to the champion, Chookagian has embraced the position.

“I’d prefer to be in Valentina’s position, to be honest,” Chookagian told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “If I’m not there yet, then it’s not a bad place to be.”

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