The elder Shevchenko sister, Antonina Shevchenko, has her UFC debut set, as she’ll meet Ashlee Evans-Smith at the TUF 28 Finale in November.
The other Shevchenko sister has her UFC debut set. Antonina Shevchenko, who won her way into the UFC as part of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, will make her promotional debut at the Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale later this year. Going down in Las Vegas as usual, she’ll face Ashlee Evans-Smith at the event. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani was first to report the match-up.
Antonina’s sister Valentina is fighting for flyweight gold this weekend at UFC 228, which is no doubt behind the timing of the news. The duo are the first sisters to fight in the UFC, which has had a history of brothers appearing in the octagon, from the Diaz brothers to the Ellenbergers and so on.
Antonina Shevchenko (6-0) defeated Jaymee Nievara on the Contender Series in June, securing her spot in the UFC in the process. Historically a bantamweight, she dropped to flyweight for that contest. Should sister Valentina capture the 125lb title, it will be interesting to see which division Antonina opts to compete in. The Evans-Smith fight will be contested at flyweight.
Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-3), for her part, will enter the fight off a win over Bec Rawlings at UFC 223 in April. That fight marked her flyweight debut, and snapped a two-fight skid at bantamweight.
The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale takes place November 30 at the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV.
