OXNARD, CA (May 12, 2025) – Oxnard, California-based Sespe Creek Distillery announces today that it will collaborate with the reigning UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion and mixed martial arts great, Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko on a series of small batch bourbon releases under its Warbringer brand. Shevchenko will work alongside Scottish master distiller John Campbell, the former distillery manager of Laphroaig, who recently moved to California to take the reins at Sespe Creek.
The partnership comes just two days after Shevchenko’s victory and 10th successful title defense at UFC 315. Her foray into craft bourbon marks the latest in a series of collaborations between the notably irreverent Central Coast craft distillery and champion mixed martial arts fighters, including Josh “Warmaster” Barnett and Hall of Fame fighter “Cowboy” Cerrone.
Said Sespe Creek Distillery CEO Alfred English, “John and Bullet are united by their shared obsession with their respective crafts. Through this partnership and the bourbon we release together, we hope to reset the standards for flavor, innovation, and authenticity.”
The eight-time World Champion in Muay Thai and Judo black belt, Shevchenko, a native of Kyrgyzstan who currently fights out of Las Vegas, has amassed 25 career UFC wins, including eight by knockout and seven by submission. She is the reigning, undisputed UFC Flyweight World Champion and is among an elite cadre of only six fighters who have won at least ten title fights.
“On paper, you’d never put a Scottish distiller and a champion fighter together — but that’s what makes this such a great collaboration,” says John Campbell, Master Distiller for Warbringer. “Valentina brings this intensity and focus that I can relate to — it’s the same mindset I’ve brought to whisky making for over 30 years. We’re both obsessed with our respective crafts, with doing things properly, and with pushing limits. Warbringer Bourbon is rooted in Americana, but it’s not afraid to break the mold — and neither are we. I can’t wait to get going and I am excited to see what we produce.”
“I have such deep respect for creativity and artistry of all kinds,” Shevchenko said. “The discipline required to be great at what you choose to do in life, whether it be as an athlete or a craft distiller, resonates with how I live my life both in and out of the Octagon. I’m honored to partner with Sespe Creek Distillery, where John and I will continue building on Warbringer’s legacy of creating masterful bourbons with elite athletes.”
About Sespe Creek Distillery
Located on the central coast in Oxnard, California, Sespe Creek is named after the last wild river in California. True to its namesake, the distillery pays homage to Americana heritage and tradition while celebrating the wild, meandering spirit of exploration and pioneering that characterizes the American spirit. Home to Warbringer Bourbon, Silvergreen Vodka and Parlor Cay Rum, the liquor inside each bottle showcases an obsession with The Craft, and a firm belief that going the extra mile results in a sip worth every extra step
