Taila Santos will be fighting for UFC gold for the first time as she looks to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275 in Singapore.
Ever since the flyweight division was created, Shevchenko has been dominant with a perfect 8-0 record, including having six title defenses. Not only is she undefeated in the UFC at the weight class, but she has made all the fights look easy. For Santos, she says she sees flaws in the champ’s game.
The win streak that earned @TailaSa60780340 her shot at the title 🏆
[ #UFC275 | Saturday | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/IEu8bU0BAa ] pic.twitter.com/SKcwkyUOm9
— UFC (@ufc) June 8, 2022
“She’s about as close as you can get to the perfect fighter, but nobody is perfect,” Santos said at UFC 275 media day. “There’s always room for improvement for everybody. Doing the tape study, we were able to locate a few things we can work on and that was basically what the strategy has been put around those flaws that we found, and that’s what I’m going to impose.”
Shevchenko Doesn’t See It
If Santos does see flaws in Shevchenko’s game, it’s hard to tell what they are at first glance. However, many view the Brazilian as the toughest challenge of Shevchenko’s career, but the champ isn’t buying it.
“I think it’s kind of hypnotizing herself, trying to convince her there is something there should be. Like everyone is not perfect. Definitely, not everyone is perfect, but all my opponents, they were saying the same – the same over and over,” Shevchenko responded at media day. “It’s like, ‘No one is unbeatable. She has some holes in her game.’ But once they step inside the octagon, they feel the opposite side. They feel the difference between the fighters and this is the most important. She’s trying to hypnotize herself to convince that there should be, but she’s wrong. It’s not gonna work for her.”
Santos enters the fight riding a four-fight winning streak after losing her UFC debut. During this win streak, she submitted Joanne Wood last time out while also holding decision wins over Roxanne Modafferi, Gillian Robertson, and Molly McCann.
Shevchenko, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back TKO wins over Lauren Murphy and Jessica Andrade to defend her belt for the sixth and fifth time.
Watch Taila Santos vs Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275
- When: Saturday, June 11, 2022
- Early Prelims: 6:30 p.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. PST
- Prelims Start Time: 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST
- Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. PST
- Location: Singapore Indoor Stadium – Singapore
- Channel: ESPN+ / PPV
