Adam Levine Pits Youth Versus Experience on ‘The Voice’ Tonight

Adam Levine paired singers with wildly divergent experience levels against each other in a performance of 'Leather and Lace' for his team's first battle duet on week three of 'The Voice.'

Young, inexperienced Casey Weston took on established veteran Tim Mahoney on the classic song, originally sung by Don Henley and Stevie Nicks. Levine admitted he was setting the bar high for his team, but felt they were up for it: "If I didn't have faith in you guys, I wouldn't have chosen this one."

Levine brought along Adam Blackstone, who he referred to as Maroon 5's "MD to the stars," as his assistant coach, and together they quickly identified the weaknesses of each singer. Weston, who has only recently started singing, had some trouble mastering harmonies, while Mahoney was taken to task for his phrasing problems.

"When you come in, you've gotta not chop that up so much," Levine told Mahoney. "It's gotta be like butter." When the time came for the actual performance -- set in an electric boxing ring that looked like a leftover from the set of 'Tron' -- both singers rose to the challenge.

Levine's verdict? "I was nervous for you Tim, because I wasn't sure you were going to be able to really sink your teeth into it. You really surprised me, man. You brought it. Casey, it's hard to mess with Stevie Nicks. She's the greatest. And you did it. Such an incredible job, both of you. There's just something about Casey Weston ... I have to go with her."

Next week, two more members of "Team Levine" will go head to head for the right to advance to the next round. Meanwhile, we assume Weston will be spending most of her time promising her father that she won't wear a dress that tight next time out.

Watch Casey Weston and Tim Mahoney Perform 'Leather and Lace' on 'the Voice'