Is Talia Santos another victim for Valentina Shevchenko to dispatch of, or can she dig deep and pull out a win? At UFC 275 on June 11 inside Singapore Indoor Stadium, Shevchenko puts the UFC flyweight title on the line against Santos.
Shevchenko, an eight-time World Championships gold medalist, made her pro debut in 2003. "Bullet" made her UFC debut in 2015. She is 11-2 with the promotion. The two losses of Shevchenko's UFC career came against Amanda Nunes. Shevchenko beat Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2018 to win the UFC flyweight title and has defended it six times. Her last fight was a TKO win against Lauren Murphy in September.
Santos made her pro debut in 2013 and joined the UFC in 2018. A Dana White's Contender Series alum, Santos had her 15-fight unbeaten streak snapped in 2019 against Mara Romero Borella. She has since won four in a row, her last fight a submission win in November against Joanne Wood.
Who will walk out of the octagon with the UFC flyweight title?
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The Sporting News is here to give some insight on how to bet on this bout featuring one of the most dominant champions of all time.
UFC 275 odds for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Taila Santos
Per Vegas Insider, Shevchenko is the -800 favorite. Santos is the +550 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Shevchenko is the -890 favorite, while Santos is the +545 underdog.
UFC 275 prop bets for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Taila Santos
Prop bets via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Shevchenko via KO/TKO: +250
- Shevchenko via submission: +500
- Shevchenko via decision: +100
- Santos via KO/TKO: +1700
- Santos via submission: +1500
- Santos via decision: +1000
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Taila Santos prediction
When it comes to Shevchenko, you can almost compare her to The Terminator. Rarely does she get hit, having only absorbed 1.87 shots per minute in the octagon. Santos absorbs about 2.23 blows.
"Bullet" is also an unstoppable machine when it comes to striking, landing 3.21 strikes per minute. In what may be a surprise to some, Santos has landed 3.71. Something to consider, however, is the volume of blows Shevchenko lands. She landed 98 shots compared to 11 against Lauren Murphy, 32 over 10 against Jessica Andrade, and 62 over 36 against Jennifer Maia. Shevchenko will break you down, dismantle you, and put you back together just so she can do it again.
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Santos has a higher strike rate than her opponents but has never taken them out as Shevchenko has. She is heavy-handed and has managed to shift her opponent's momentum to her advantage. Santos boxing ability is unique in its own right, and when she smells blood, she’ll go for the attack. With someone like Shevchenko, however, who rarely makes a mistake on the feet, that will be tough for her to accomplish.
One aspect of the fight that will be extremely interesting is on the ground. Santos has landed 11 takedowns in her last four fights, with five against Roxanne Modafferi and five against Molly McCann. She holds a takedown accuracy rate of 86%. Santos’ underhook and body lock positions have helped drag her opponent down and have often left them stuck.
Santos believes that the way to beat Shevchenko is on the floor.
“I believe I’m taking this fight to the ground,” Santos told Combate, via Bloody Elbow. “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. 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.”
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Santos' comments are fascinating considering Shevchenko's recent luck on the ground. Since her second loss against Amanda Nunes, she has landed 28 takedowns in eight fights. Against Jessica Andrade, Shevchenko landed seven, and against Lauren Murphy, she landed 3. Transitioning to the side and on top of her opponent, she has been able to end the fight early against Murphy, Andrade, and Chookagian. You do not want to be near her elbows when she times them right.
In each bout she competes in, we often wonder if the next challenger could be the biggest threat Shevchenko will face for her title. It only takes a few minutes for her to strike down that theory. That may be the case here.
While Santos is confident in her takedown ability, Shevchenko is on another level. Can Santos pull off the upset? It is possible, but are you willing to take that risk? It will be hard to convince anyone that Shevchenko won't walk out the winner.
Sporting News prediction: Shevchenko via TKO (round 2) (+250)
What time does UFC 275 start today?
- Date: Saturday, June 11
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET (approximately)
UFC 275 takes place on June 11. The FIGHT PASS prelims take place at 6:30 p.m. ET, while the prelims begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The main card begins on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET, and the main event should begin around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Prochazka
- TV channels: ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
- Live stream: ESPN+
The main card for UFC 275 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 275 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+, the WatchESPN app, and, for the early prelims, on UFC Fight Pass.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport 1, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka price: How much does UFC 275 cost?
- $74.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $99.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 275 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 275 is $74.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $99.98 for the UFC 275 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of over 30 percent.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $6.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $69.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $74.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $99.98, then $69.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $88.98, then $13.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
UFC 275 fight card
Main card
- Glover Teixeira (c) vs. Jiri Prochazka for the UFC light heavyweight title
- Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Taila Santos for the UFC flyweight title
- Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2; Strawweights
- Andre Fialho vs. Jake Matthews; Welterweights
- Jack Della Maddalena vs. Ramazan Emeev; Welterweights
Prelims
- Brendan Allen vs. Jacob Malkoun; Middleweights
- Choi Seung-Woo vs. Joshua Culibao; Featherweights
- Maheshate vs. Steve Garcia; Featherweights
FIGHT PASS prelims
- Kang Kyung-ho vs. Danaa Batgerel; Bantamweights
- Liang Na vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez; Strawweights
- Ramona Pascual vs. Joselyne Edwards; Bantamweights
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