The card isn’t entirely put together for UFC Fight Night: Font vs Vera, but what we do know is that Cortney “Cast Iron” Casey will face Antonina “La Pantera” Shevchenko in a confirmed flyweight bout. On April 6, 2022, Casey sat down with James Lynch to discuss the big questions heading into the fight.
Casey (10-9) collected a unanimous decision victory over Liana Jojua (8-5-0) at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Rodriguez last November. The win put her above back above .500 as she approaches her 15th contest in the UFC. A veteran of the octagon on a soon-to-expire contract, Casey’s next fight can earn her some timely notoriety against Shevchenko (9-4-0). Of course, it isn’t the champion Valentina that Casey will be facing, but rather her sister Antonia. Nonetheless, the name recognition along with Shevchenko’s winning record would be a strong negotiating piece for Casey.
Great chatting with Cortney Casey who discussed …
✅ Antonina Shevchenko matchup Apr. 30
✅ Having camp at same time as @drakkarklose
✅ This being 2nd last fight on UFC contractFull interview via @AllAccessMMA247
📺https://t.co/o5c13Ok5hY pic.twitter.com/mr3NexouxR
— James Lynch (@LynchOnSports) April 4, 2022
What Does Cortney Casey Think About Fighting Antonia Shevchenko?
“When you fight someone with a name and who her sister is,” Casey told All Access MMA, “I feel like you get a little more time than normal.” When asked how she feels about drawing Shevchenko as her next opponent, Casey was “excited”. “I really didn’t know she was on a two-fight losing streak. I wasn’t shocked, I was just unaware of her situation.”
Looking Back at Her Win Versus Jojua
“Yeah, I definitely was looking for the finish, but a win’s a win, and I needed to get it.” Going the distance for three rounds, Casey was awarded a unanimous-decision victory for the fight. The card was scored 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. “I was happy with my performance,” she said of her November contest. “Obviously there’s some things I could’ve worked on and things I could’ve done better, but we ended up getting the job done and at the end of the day, that’s what we needed to do.”
How Does Cortney Casey’s Wrestling Matchup Against Shevchenko’s Striking?
“To be honest, I wouldn’t put it past her to try to take me down either,” Casey said of Shevchenko, “I really wouldn’t.” Of course, in La Pantera’s corner and training circle is the UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion, Valentina Shevchenko, the top pound-for-pound women’s fighter. “Her sister’s really big on game planning and I’m sure they went back and looked at [the] film and they know to really seal the deal. She probably will be shooting for takedowns… I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if she takes this one to the ground or at least tries to.”
What Is Cortney Casey’s Vision For Her Fight Versus Shevchenko?
When asked how she envisions her match against Shevchenko playing out, Casey didn’t mince words. “With my hand raised. At the end of the day, that’s the goal.” Highlighting that it isn’t about making a statement with a first-round finish, Casey’s approach is sound. “I’m not trying to go in there and get first-round finishes or anything like that. I’m just trying to go in there and get the job done and get my hand raised at the end of the night.”
