Valentina Shevchenko will be heavily favored to capture flyweight gold at UFC 228 on Saturday when she squares off against reigning champion Nicco Montano.
If she wins as expected, any number of contenders could emerging in what is a still-growing division. When it comes to women’s divisions in the UFC, flyweight is not currently as deep as bantamweight or strawweight, both of which have had more time to develop. No matter how wide open things might get, Shevchenko has no plans to face her sister, Antonina, in the Octagon.
Antonina Shevchenko recently earned a UFC deal with a second-round technical knockout victory over Jaimelene Nievera in a matchup on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series on June 26.