Shevchenko fights with a similar style to that of her younger
sister, albeit without any of the physical gifts that make the
reigning flyweight champion a truly elite fighter. All else being
equal, Shevchenko values control—whether it is keeping her
opponents at range or neutralizing them in the clinch or on the
mat. However, without the physicality to back it up, “La Pantera”
often finds herself in trouble, whether it is her inability to keep
her counterparts at bay or locking horns while at a clear strength
advantage. There is enough skill for Shevchenko to handle herself
quite well against the lower reaches of the flyweight division, but
with the name value that her bloodline provides, she also gets few
moments to take a step back in competition. She faces another tough
veteran in this assignment. Casey’s strawweight career was marked
by her being a standout athlete who was willing to scrap, though
she never particularly separated herself from the pack. She often
found herself at a speed disadvantage, and the lack of variety in
Casey’s approach meant “Cast Iron” would wind up on both sides of
some narrow decisions. After a move up to flyweight in 2020, Casey
has wound up in much the same place. Like Shevchenko, she has
proven she can show out opposite the fringes of the UFC’s flyweight
roster but fights relatively even against everyone else. Between
the offensive skills and defensive openings on display, this should
devolve into an entertaining mess, and Casey seems a bit more
trustworthy and confident in keeping up a higher pace. This is
basically a coinflip, but the pick is Casey via decision.
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