Why Antonina Shevchenko should want Molly McCann fight
LAS VEGAS (BVM) – Antonina Shevchenko has watched her younger sister, Valentina, put together one of the greatest UFC careers of all time. But for 37-year-old Antonina, she still has some gas left in the tank.
The elder Shevchenko has a 4-4 record since she made her UFC debut in 2018, winning her most recent fight against Cortney Casey on July 9. After UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Aspinall this past weekend in London, Shevchenko may get the biggest opportunity of her MMA career to date.
The women’s flyweight’s rising star, “Meatball” Molly McCann, won performance of the night with her knockout victory over Hannah Goldy. Now the UFC world is asking who will be her next opponent.
For McCann, she thinks it should be a Shevchenko.
“So I never call anyone out,” McCann told MMA Junkie following her fight. “It’s not for me to do. But when you talk about legacy, prestige, honor, who’s the best in the game – and it’s Valentina (Shevchenko). Am I Valentina ready? No. Am I Antonina ready? Let’s see. I believe I am.”
While this fight could be a great opportunity to get a sneak peek at what it is like to fight a Shevchenko, this is also a chance for Antonina to make a big statement late in her career.
She is currently not ranked amongst the UFC’s top 15 flyweights, but a win against possibly the future of the division could skyrocket her up that list. She might only get one more run at a belt at this stage of her career and a loss would set her back even further.
If this fight were to get done, it would likely be on the main card of a pay-per-view event with how McCann’s popularity has risen.
With the help of her younger sister and her husband and coach, Pavel Fedotov, Shevchenko would be well prepared for a fight that could propel her to one final attempt at a title chase.
