Taila Santos doesn’t need anyone to believe that she can beat Valentina Shevchenko this June. Santos will challenge Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title at the UFC 275 pay-per-view (PPV) on June 11 from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Speaking to the South China Morning News, Santos explained why it doesn’t matter…
Taila Santos doesn’t need anyone to believe that she can beat Valentina Shevchenko this June.
Santos will challenge Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title at the UFC 275 pay-per-view (PPV) on June 11 from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. Speaking to the South China Morning News, Santos explained why it doesn’t matter if people believe in her ahead of the fight.
“First of all, I don’t need people to actually believe in me, because the only person that needs to believe that I can dethrone Valentina is myself. I’m the one who needs to believe.
“If I believe in myself, it’s going to happen regardless of what people think. Second, for those people who don’t believe in me, for them to believe, just think of the hard work.
“It’s my turn. It’s my time to have this chance. It’s my moment. I believe in all the hard work, I believe in all the journey I’ve had, and I believe that this is the time that I’m due for this.
“I do believe that when my time comes, you should start believing that I can be the one.”
Santos has certainly been impressive as of late during her run. She’s racked up a four-fight win streak over names such as Molly McCann, Roxanne Modafferi, and Joanne Wood. Of course, she’ll be taking on a whole other breed of fighter against Shevchenko, one of the UFC’s most dominant champions.
Shevchenko’s only two losses in the UFC came against Amanda Nunes, both via decision. Currently, the champion is on an eight-fight win streak and has defended her strap six times. She looks to make it seven against Santos this weekend.
What do you make of Taila Santos and her confidence heading into UFC 275? Do you think she can pull off the upset? Sound off in the comments!
UFC women’s flyweight contender Taila Santos is looking to pull a Julianna Peña when she challenges for Valentina Shevchenko’s title this weekend. Since a debut defeat to Mara Romero Borella, Santos has gone 4-0 inside the Octagon, adding the names of Molly McCann, Roxanne Modafferi, Gillian Robertson, and Joanne Wood to her promotional slate. Now…
UFC women’s flyweight contender Taila Santos is looking to pull a Julianna Peña when she challenges for Valentina Shevchenko’s title this weekend.
Since a debut defeat to Mara Romero Borella, Santos has gone 4-0 inside the Octagon, adding the names of Molly McCann, Roxanne Modafferi, Gillian Robertson, and Joanne Wood to her promotional slate.
Unsurprisingly, not many are giving the Brazilian much of a chance at victory come fight night. After all, to have her hand raised, she’ll need to become the first woman to defeat Shevchenko at flyweight, end the Kyrgyzstani’s eight-fight win streak, and do what the likes of Joanna J?drzejczyk, Jennifer Maia, Holly Holm, and Jéssica Andrade failed to do.
With that challenge in mind, Santos currently finds herself as a significant underdog, with BetOnline.ag having the 28-year-old at +400. But something about an underrated contender challenging a dominant female champion feels familiar, doesn’t it? Santos thinks so.
During a recent interview with Sherdog, the Jaraguá do Sul native was asked about the common sentiment that she has little chance of dethroning “Bullet” on June 11. For Santos, the odds and disbelief motivates her, as does the success of the reigning UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion last December.
“Those numbers just motivate me to shock the world. Respect cannot mean fear,” Santos said. “Peña fought Amanda (Nunes) stepping forward, not fearing, and that’s how she won. I’m going to do the same against Valentina. Take note, I’ll defy the odds and bring this belt to Brazil.”
Fight week for UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Procházka is upon us, and the countdown has officially begun. The UFC has released their official UFC 275 Countdown video, which features the tripleheader that will be on display this Saturday, June 11, 2022. The main event will feature the colorful Ji?í Procházka challenge Glover Teixeira for the…
Fight week for UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Procházka is upon us, and the countdown has officially begun.
The UFC has released their official UFC 275 Countdown video, which features the tripleheader that will be on display this Saturday, June 11, 2022.
The main event will feature the colorful Ji?í Procházka challenge Glover Teixeira for the light heavyweight championship. After winning UFC gold at 42 years old, Teixeira could have just as easily ridden off into the sunset. Instead, he has circled back for arguably the most dangerous fight he could have right now when he takes on the one-man finish factory that is Ji?í Procházka.
The co-main event will see UFC flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko defend her title against the 19-1 Taila Santos. Shevchenko has been levels above everyone put in front of her, but none of her opponents has boasted the winning percentage that Santos does. You won’t want to miss this fresh face and latest assignment for the “Bullet” assassin.
And who can overlook the feature strawweight rematch between former champions Joanna J?drzejczyk and Zhang Weili?? The official Countdown video ensures that the first fight is not forgotten and that fans can’t help but remember to tune in for the encore.
Here is what you can expect to see from the UFC 275 Countdown video.
“To all the young dreamers out there, and also the old folks, because I’m 42 and I’m still doing it, dreams are possible” – Glover Teixeira
Glover Teixeira
In the Countdown video, we ride shotgun through Teixeira’s odyssey that culminated in championship gold. The tour also includes a trip with the champion to Brazil, where he shared his joy with his compatriots and also served as a beacon of inspiration.
“After some time in Japan, I realize it’s my destiny to be the champ in the league of the best.” – Ji?í Procházka
In the Countdown video, we get an intimate glimpse into the warrior mentality of Ji?í Procházka. We also are reminded of the controlled frenzy he carries with him into every fight, one finish after another around the globe.
“I really want to show that there is no limits for no one.” – Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The Countdown video portrays the flyweight queen as the renaissance woman she is. We also get a glimpse into Shevchenko’s home life, including hearing from the matriarch of the Shevchenko family herself, mother of Valentina and Antonina, Elena Shevchenko.
“Valentina, she’s not unbeatable. I’ve seen some of her flaws on the ground, in her striking, too. She’s the champion, right? Until we fight.” – Taila Santos
Taila Santos
The Countdown video introduces those who may be familiar with Saturday’s flyweight title challenger Taila Santos, and viewers come away with a better understanding of why she is as confident as she appears to be ahead of UFC 275.
“Sometimes defeat teaches you more than victory. Sometimes we lose a fight because of details. We’ve tried more techniques this time. I call it ‘Weili 3.0.’” – Zhang Weili
Zhang Weili
The Countdown video does the initial classic between Zhang and J?drzejczyk justice, and we also peek into the mentality and preparations of both fierce competitors ahead of the rematch. For Zhang, she is looking to learn from her recent defeats to Rose Namajunas by sharpening up her boxing skills, speed, and even her power.
“We are not the same after our fight. You made me better. I’m coming for the Knockout of the Year this time.” – Joanna J?drzejczyk
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
One word best captures how the Countdown video depicts Joanna J?drzejczyk: rejuvenated. J?drzejczyk has been traveling the globe and keeping herself busy yet relaxed with various interests. All the while, she hasn’t lost her will to compete or avenge her initial loss to Weili.
UFC 275 comes to you from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. You can view the full lineup for the card below followed by the UFC’s official Countdown video. And be sure to stick with MMA News this fight week for all the latest updates regarding UFC 275!
(card and bout order subject to change)
UFC 275 Main Card (PPV, 10:00 PM ET)
Light Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Glover Teixeira (c) vs. Ji?í Procházka Women’s Flyweight Championship Bout: Valentina Shevchenko (c)vs. Taila Santos Women’s Strawweight: Zhang Weili vs. Joanna J?drzejczyk Welterweight: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Ramazan Emeev Flyweight: Rogério Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
Preliminary Card (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET)
Featherweight Seung Woo Choi vs. Joshua Culibao Middleweight Jacob Malkoun vs. Brendan Allen Lightweight: Steve Garcia vs. Hayisaer Maheshate Bantamweight: Kang Kyung-ho vs. Danaa Batgerel
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 6:30 PM ET)
Welterweight Jake Matthews vs. André Fialho Women’s Strawweight: Liang Na vs. Silvana Gómez Juárez Women’s Bantamweight: Ramona Pascual vs. Joselyne Edwards
UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko recently assessed the threat of upcoming opponent Taila Santos during a face-to-face virtual press conference. Shevchenko has sat on the 125-pound throne since winning the vacant belt with a victory over Joanna J?drzejczyk in 2018. Since then, “Bullet” has brushed aside six challengers, including Jessica Eye, Katlyn Chookagian, Jennifer…
UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko recently assessed the threat of upcoming opponent Taila Santos during a face-to-face virtual press conference.
Shevchenko has sat on the 125-pound throne since winning the vacant belt with a victory over Joanna J?drzejczyk in 2018. Since then, “Bullet” has brushed aside six challengers, including Jessica Eye, Katlyn Chookagian, Jennifer Maia, and Jéssica Andrade.
With her motivation and hunger to retain her place at the top of the ladder as high as ever, Shevchenko will look to add a seventh championship defense to her résumé at UFC 275, scheduled to take place in Singapore on June 11.
Ahead of next month’s blockbuster event, both women appeared on a virtual press call together, during which Shevchenko broke down the latest challenger to her dominant rule, while Santos listened on.
“I think that she is a very strong fighter. She has like, a lot of physical power, and everything,” assessed Shevchenko. “Another thing, fighting for the title, it requires to be the best from the other girls, who are like, behind her. That’s why it’s always — I am preparing my best, my 100% for everything… I respect all my contenders, all my opponents, and this makes me, not underestimate their skills, but also seeing their weak sides.”
Shevchenko Dismisses Santos’ Ground Confidence
Later in the face-to-face presser, Santos was asked what she believes her key to victory will be on June 11. The Brazilian identified the need to take the fight to the ground as the most important aspect in her quest for gold.
It’s safe to say that the champion disagrees with that notion.
When asked for her response, Shevchenko noted that her previous opponents have always identified a certain area in which they can best her in but have always failed to succeed come fight night. The Kyrgyzstani anticipates the same fate for Santos in Singapore.
“It’s the same response for all my other opponents. Someone was thinking they had better striking, another was thinking they have better wrestling. But, you know, the Octagon showed them that they’re wrong,” said Shevchenko.
“And this is like, the most important part of this contest, this fight, to see the frustration on their face when they understand they’re not better.”
“I don’t have any issues to fight on the ground, standup, wrestle; whichever, because being UFC champion, MMA champion, it requires a lot of skills, a lot of abilities. You cannot be a one-sided fighter… I’m ready for anything,” concluded Shevchenko.
Taila Santos had no problem revealing her game plan for her upcoming title fight against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275. Current UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is on an eight-fight win streak that saw her dominate the division. ‘Bullet’ will be going into her next title defense against Santos after defeating both Lauren Murphy […]
Taila Santos had no problem revealing her game plan for her upcoming title fight against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275.
Current UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is on an eight-fight win streak that saw her dominate the division. ‘Bullet’ will be going into her next title defense against Santos after defeating both Lauren Murphy and Jessica Andrade by TKO in her last two outings.
Taila Santos reveals key to win
In a recent appearance on the Combate podcast, Taila Santos shared her strategy for achieving a stunning upset over Shevchenko. Taila is respectful of her adversary’s grappling but believes there’s one weakness in Valentina’s game that she could exploit.
“I believe I’m taking this fight to the ground.” Santos said. “Valentina is a very tough fighter. Her strong suit is in the striking game, but I believe I can be successful on the ground.”
“She’s very tough on the feet.” Taila continued, “She has defeated some really tough fighters. She’s also really smart, but I believe I’ll find success on the ground. That’s where I feel super comfortable. I come from a muay thai school, so I also feel great on the feet. However, I see her weaknesses on the ground, so I believe that’s the area where I’ll find success in the fight.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)
Santos goes into the bout on a four-fight winning streak, having dispatched Molly McCann, Gillian Robertson, Roxanne Modafferi, and Joane Wood in her latest outings. With 19 wins in 20 matches, the only blemish on the 28-year-old’s record is her contest against Mara Romero Borella which she lost by split decision in February 2019.
Valentina Shevchenko will defend her title against Taila Santos in the co-main event of UFC 275 on June 11 in Singapore. The women’s flyweight bout will be followed by the headlining light heavyweight title fight between reigning champ Glover Teixeira and challenger Jiri Prochazka.
UFC flyweight Casey O’Neill believes Taila Santos has what it takes to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko. UFC 275’s co-main event is set to host the flyweight title bout which sees Santos take on Shevchenko in her attempt to become the division’s latest champion. Many have doubted what the Brazilian will be able to provide which past…
UFC flyweight Casey O’Neill believes Taila Santos has what it takes to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko.
UFC 275’s co-main event is set to host the flyweight title bout which sees Santos take on Shevchenko in her attempt to become the division’s latest champion.
Many have doubted what the Brazilian will be able to provide which past title challengers haven’t in her attempt to defeat Shevchenko. Santos will enter the title fight as a large underdog amongst the bookies.
However, O’Neill certainly feels Santos has more than a puncher’s chance against the flyweight queen. However, O’Neill certainly feels Santos has more than a puncher’s chance against the flyweight queen. She even went as far as to say that she thinks the #4 ranked flyweight can finish Shevchenko. In an interview with The Schmo, she even went as far as to say that she thinks the #4-ranked flyweight can finish Shevchenko.
“Yeah, Valentina is an amazing fighter and she’s always looked unbeatable, per see,” said O’Neill. “But it’s gonna take that one person to beat her, and I think if Taila can get her game going forward, hit her with some big power shots, and maybe even get her back or something, she can finish the fight, same way she did with Joanna Calderwood.”
When asked whether she would personally like to be the one to end the dominant reign the UFC flyweight division has endured under Shevchenko, O’Neill replied:
“Yeah, I’m hoping that Taila actually doesn’t win this fight so that I can be the first one. For sure, that would be an amazing feat. But I’ve gotta just go as fast as I can go, and if Valentina keeps fighting at the same time as me, maybe someone will take her off first. There’s a lot of good talent in the 125 division coming up.”
As for O’Neill, her charge towards the title will continue soon with her next fight scheduled for UFC 276 against Jessica Eye. A win over the experienced flyweight may well see the Australian prospect break into the top ten of the division.
Can you see Taila Santos pulling off an upset against Valentina Shevchenko?
Taila Santos had no problem revealing her game plan for her upcoming title fight against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275. Current UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is on an eight-fight win streak that saw her dominate the division. ‘Bullet’ will be going into her next title defense against Santos after defeating both Lauren Murphy […]