Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and public and are clearly confident in the sitting champion, listing Shevchenko -1100 and Chookagian +700 as of this writing.
Considering how easy it is to fall victim to tall odds in these divisions, I tend to temper my enthusiasm when I see betting spreads this wide on what are ultimately two very capable fighters. I may be an admitted fan of Shevchenko’s stylings, but it’s not crazy to fathom the flyweight queen falling to a classic MMA upset.
That said, I don’t think that upset comes to fruition at UFC 247.
Sure, Chookagian has been able to squeeze out scorecards in fights where she was taken down and technically out-landed in significant strikes, but I’m not sure she can get away with painting her patent picture of volume to the judges without opening herself up to counters in the process. If Shevchenko can’t catch Chookagian with a heavy spinning assault or liver kick early, then I suspect her counter strikes and speed will scare off the challenger sufficiently enough to earn a clear decision on the scorecards.
Prediction: Shevchenko by decision