MMA Preview – Valentina Shevchenko vs Taila Santos at UFC 275
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO VS TAILA SANTOS FACTS
When is UFC 275? Sunday 12th June, 2022 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 275? Singapore Indoor Stadium, Kallang, Singapore
Where can I get tickets for UFC 275? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 275
What channel is UFC 275 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC 275? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO VS TAILA SANTOS LOWDOWN
The Queen of the flyweights Valentina Shevchenko (22-3) heads to Singapore to make the seventh defence of her crown. The only fighter she has lost to in the UFC is the female ‘GOAT’ Amanda Nunes up at bantamweight and the split decision in 2017 could have easily gone her way. She is in a league of her own at 125 lbs swatting away top contender after top contender. She has been a picture of consistency during her reign of terror fighting twice a year and she is coming off two ruthless TKO’s over Jessica Andrade and Lauren Murphy last year.
Taila Santos (19-1) is the next contender lined up for the Queen and on paper, she is the only flyweight that can trouble her right now. Her only loss was a split decision to Mara Romero Borella (2019) on her UFC debut which should have gone her way. Since then, she has responded with dominant unanimous decisions over Molly McCann (2020), Gillian Robertson (2020), Roxanne Modafferi (2021) and a submission over Joanne Wood (2021) showing she is only beginning to reach her prime.
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO VS TAILA SANTOS PREDICTION
Shevchenko is one of the most well-rounded fighters of all time and it is a shame the flyweight division has not provided any serious tests. She has had an answer for anything that has been thrown at her. She lost one round against Jennifer Maia getting out grappled, but Shevchenko followed that up by mauling one of the strongest women in the UFC in Andrade.
To dethrone the Queen, somebody needs to be powerful, aggressive and enforce their will on her. This is exactly what Santos can do. She is a powerful beast and very well-rounded. She has dangerous Muay Thai and is also a very strong grappler with good jiu-jitsu.
However, she needs a strategy to string these skills together. If she can manage the distance on the feet, she can use her power advantage to hurt Shevchenko with counters. She can also mix in her grappling and cause problems in the clinch and even take her down, but she has to be unpredictable.
Unlike other contenders, Santos has the tools and well roundedness to hang with Shevchenko. She has the striking to hurt her and the grappling to have more success than Maia did. However, where she is lacking is the experience to employ her tools strategically and over five rounds.
She has never been past the third and although we feel she could be a future champion, Shevchenko is simply a step too far for her right now. The Brazilian will look good for the first two rounds and may put the champ in more trouble than she has been in before, but Shevchenko’s experience, pacing and technique will shine through once again.
Prediction: Shevchenko via Submission - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
