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Tag: Taila Santos

  • Taila Santos Lands Liver Kick KO At PFL Sioux Falls

    Taila Santos Lands Liver Kick KO At PFL Sioux Falls

    Taila Santos is back in the win column and made a case for a future PFL women’s flyweight title opportunity after a first-round finish of Yan Qihui during the PFL Sioux Falls preliminary card.

    Santos worked her range well early, using her jab to connect on Qihui. Qihui couldn’t get a rhythm going, as her volume wasn’t there, and Santos fought fire with fire to answer Qihui’s strikes.

    After preventing Qihui from getting inside, Santos landed a quick, hard kick to the liver that crumbled Qihui, finishing the fight in just over two minutes.

    Taila Santos Finishes Yan Qihui With Liver Kick At PFL Sioux Falls

    This was Santos’ first fight after missing all of 2025. She competed in the 2024 women’s flyweight season, defeating Ilia Joanne, Jena Bishop, and Liz Carmouche before losing to Dakota Ditcheva in the final.

    Yan has now lost two straight and is 3-3 in her last six. This was her first fight since August 2024, when she lost to Danni McCormack in Road to UFC.

  • Taila Santos, Liz Carmouche Feature In Lineup For PFL Women’s Flyweight World Tournament

    Taila Santos, Liz Carmouche Feature In Lineup For PFL Women’s Flyweight World Tournament

    The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is continuing to roll out the rosters for eight “World Tournaments” set for 2025, with the latest release being the women’s flyweight lineup.

    Major change is coming to the PFL this year, with the promotion making the decision to eliminate the season and playoff format from its yearly structure. Replacing that and the $1 million prize money will be Grand Prix-style tournaments across eight divisions, with the winners of each collecting $500,000.

    After confirming the dates and venue for four events that will host first-round matchups earlier this month, the PFL has begun to announce the full rosters. Thus far, both the welterweight and featherweight lineups have been confirmed, with ex-Bellator champion Jason Jackson and undefeated Dagestani Movlid Khaybulaev marking the two standout names.

    And this week, the rollouts continued with the eight women set to compete in the inaugural flyweight tournament. Among the most notable inclusions is Taila Santos, a former UFC title challenger who fell short of PFL glory in last year’s championship final opposite Dakota Ditcheva.

    While the 2024 champ won’t be part of the tournament, a number of names from last year’s season will, including former Bellator titleholders Liz Carmouche and Juliana Velasquez.

    See below for the full eight-woman roster for this year’s flyweight “World Tournament,” as announced by the PFL on social media.

    • Taila Santos (22-4)
    • Liz Carmouche (22-8)
    • Kana Watanabe (13-3-1)
    • Juliana Velasquez (13-3)
    • Jena Bishop (7-2)
    • Elora Dana (7-0)
    • Ilara Joanne (12-9)
    • Diana Avsaravoga (6-1)
  • Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva was pleased to teach Taila Santos a lesson in not underestimating opponents.

    Ditcheva recorded the biggest win of her blossoming career to date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month when she co-headlined this year’s PFL World Championship.

    The Brit figured in one of six title fights on the main card at King Saud University — and arguably the most highly anticipated — after winning gold in PFL Europe last year and announcing herself on the global roster with three knockouts en route to her toughest test to date.

    Ditcheva’s detractors have long used competition level as a means by which to take away from her unbeaten run. But that is no longer viable after she dominated Santos, a former top UFC contender whom many believed did enough to defeat Valentina Shevchenko two years ago.

    The Brazilian fell the same way as many have to “Dangerous,” being overwhelmed by her striking offense before succumbing to brutal body shots in round two.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ditcheva looked back on her successful trip to the Middle East, which saw her exit the SmartCage on Nov. 19 with gold wrapped around her waist and $1 million in prize money secured.

    The 26-year-old acknowledged Santos’ dismissive pre-fight remarks inside the cage during her celebration and interview. And reflecting on them once again, Ditcheva suggested the experienced Brazilian made the surprising and fatal mistake of failing to “respect” the threat she was facing.

    “I think honestly she probably underestimated me a little bit,” Ditcheva said. “Like, she has been saying through the whole tournament, not just this fight, from the very beginning that I’m just a Barbie, she’s a different level. I genuinely don’t think she respected me at all and where me, I respected every girl in this tournament, whether they’ve been in the UFC or not.

    “I think genuinely she got shocked when I hit her. As soon as I hit with the first inside leg kick, I saw her face change, and then every shot I hit her with, she was just like making noises like it was hurting,” Ditcheva continued. “I think she probably underestimated me, which is a silly move to do and something I’m surprised she did at her level.”

    Suffice to say, the chances of Ditcheva’s future opponents making the same mistake have no doubt slimmed after the manner with which she dispatched Santos at the PFL World Championship.

    For now, it remains to be seen who will be opposite the “Dangerous” Brit next time out — and in which of the PFL’s entities. Ditcheva has already expressed hesitancy when it comes to competing in a second season, with the pay-per-view Super Fights events seemingly on her radar instead.

  • 2024 PFL World Championship Results & Highlights: Khizriev Dominates Loughnane, Ditcheva Stops Santos

    2024 PFL World Championship Results & Highlights: Khizriev Dominates Loughnane, Ditcheva Stops Santos

    The 2024 PFL World Championship took place on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    This week saw the Professional Fighters League back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to crown its title winners for this year — both PFL Global and PFL MENA — following the conclusion of the regular season and semifinals.

    After a set of showcase bouts featuring the likes of Costello van Steenis, Slim Trabelsi, and Mansour Barnaoui, four inaugural kings were crowned as part of the promotion’s Middle East and North Africa expansion.

    The main card followed, with six fighters on the global roster walking away with championship gold and $1 million in prize money.

    Brendan Loughnane and Impa Kasanganay both failed in their bid to experience that for the second time, with the featherweight suffering a lopsided five-round loss to Timur Khizriev in the main event and the light heavyweight standout falling victim to Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov’s power in under a minute.

    Perhaps the most intriguing clash on the lineup came in the co-headliner, meanwhile, as the undefeated Dakota Ditcheva faced the toughest test of her blossoming career thus far. She ultimately followed her PFL Europe success last year with global glory, getting the better of former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in shockingly dominant fashion.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the best highlights.

    2024 PFL World Championship Results

    PFL World Championship Card:

    • Featherweight Championship: Timur Khizriev def. Brendan Loughnane via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva def. Taila Santos via TKO (body punches): R2, 4:41
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov def. Impa Kasanganay via TKO (punches): R1, 0:58
    • Welterweight Championship: Shamil Musaev def. Magomed Umalatov via TKO (punches): R3, 1:44
    • Lightweight Championship: Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Brent Primus via KO (punches): R3, 2:31
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov def. Oleg Popov via submission (triangle choke): R1, 2:51

    PFL MENA Championship Card:

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Maraoune Bellagouit via TKO: R1
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Omar El Dafrawy def. Mohammad Alaqraa via KO (hammerfists): R2, 0:57
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif def. Lilia Osmani via TKO (knees): R2, 1:37
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb def. Rachid El Hazoume via KO (punches): R1, 1:25
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Georges Eid via unanimous decision

    Showcase Fight Card:

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui def. Alfie Davis via submission (rear-naked choke): R3, 3:41
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi def. Abraham Bably via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Featherweight: Gabriel Braga def. Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj def. Jose Perez via submission (guillotine choke): R3, 1:10
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis def. Joao Dantas via KO (head kick): R1, 0:48

    Costello van Steenis Def. Joao Dantas

    Asael Adjoudj Def. Jose Perez

    Gabriel Braga Def. Jeremy Kennedy

    Slim Trabelsi Def. Abraham Bably

    Mansour Barnaoui Def. Alfie Davis

    Mohsen Mohammadseifi Def. Georges Eid

    Ali Taleb Def. Rachid El Hazoume

    Hattan Alsaif Def. Lilia Osmani

    Omar El Dafrawy Def. Mohammad Alaqraa

    Abdullah Al-Qahtani Def. Maraoune Bellagouit

    Denis Goltsov Def. Oleg Popov

    Gadzhi Rabadanov Def. Brent Primus

    Shamil Musaev Def. Magomed Umalatov

    Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov Def. Impa Kasanganay

    Dakota Ditcheva Def. Taila Santos

    Timur Khizriev Def. Brendan Loughnane

  • ‘Best WMMA Fighter In The World’ – Fans React As Dakota Ditcheva Batters Taila Santos To Win Inaugural PFL Flyweight Title

    ‘Best WMMA Fighter In The World’ – Fans React As Dakota Ditcheva Batters Taila Santos To Win Inaugural PFL Flyweight Title

    Dakota Ditcheva passed the toughest test of her career to date with flying colors to become the 2024 PFL flyweight champion, stopping Taila Santos in the second round.

    Many expected the former UFC title challenger to be a threat to the undefeated star in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the fight was one-way traffic from start to finish.

    It was clear right from the get-go that there was no comparison between them on the feet, with Ditcheva’s excellent striking causing damage to multiple targets and making her opponent bite on all of her feints.

    The biggest takeaway in this fight was that when Santos was able to close the distance in order to test the Brit’s grappling, “Dangerous” was able to defend takedowns, keep herself safe, and get back to striking. She even took the Brazilian veteran down at one point before standing back up.

    Santos looked to be hanging on at the end of the first round, and in the second, the champion picked up where she left off. After the damage started to add up, she put the stamp on her most impressive display to date by becoming the first woman to finish Santos.

    Ditcheva didn’t just become the champion and win $1 million in this fight, she proved herself to be a legitimate world class competitor at flyweight. PFL strapped the rocket to the 25-year old, and it has more than paid off.

    Fight fans reacted to her undeniable performance via social media:

  • Dan Hardy: Dakota Ditcheva Can Prove Herself To Be The Best Flyweight In The World vs. Taila Santos

    Dan Hardy: Dakota Ditcheva Can Prove Herself To Be The Best Flyweight In The World vs. Taila Santos

    At the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday in Riyadh, Dakota Ditcheva faces her toughest test to date as the undefeated striker takes on Taila Santos. For all of the hype surrounding the British striker, there has been a lot of doubts as well with some saying that she hasn’t been tested at the top level yet.

    With every step-up in the quality of her opponents, the former PFL Europe champion has blasted through them also, winning all three of her fights this season via a knockout in the first round. Santos, however, is an opponent that fight fans know is a legitimate threat to her.

    The former UFC fighter competed in one of the most controversial bouts in recent years when at UFC 275 she fought to a split decision against Valentina Shevchenko with many believing that she did enough to secure the victory. PFL commentator Dan Hardy believes that with a strong showing against Santos, Ditcheva can prove that she isn’t just the best flyweight in the PFL, she’s the best in the world.

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Hardy said that Santos is a tough test for Ditcheva but she’s also a measuring stick for the undefeated star to use.

    “I mean I certainly think so and the fact that Santos has been the distance with Shevchenko is going to make it easier for the fans to see the difference in Dakota’s skills compared to Shevchenko.”

    After comparing the point fighting style of Shevchenko to the lethal striking of Ditcheva, Hardy said if she’s able to beat Santos and look impressive whilst doing it, there can be no more doubting her.

    “If Dakota’s got enough skills in her game to stuff takedowns or to get back to her feet or to defend any submissions that she finds herself in in this fight coming up, if she proves that she’s got enough grappling for people to go, ‘You know what, I think that would work against Shevchenko as well’, then I don’t really think there’s much of a question around Dakota’s striking compared to Shevchenko.”

  • 2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    The 2024 PFL World Championship takes place on Friday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    In the main event. England’s Brendan Loughnane will shoot for his second title in the SmartCage, having previously emerged with gold in his possession at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

    To repeat that feat, he must upset the odds to hand 17-0 Russian Timur Khizriev his first professional defeat in mixed martial arts.

    Perhaps the most intriguing matchup comes in the co-headliner as another UK standout challenges for season glory. Striking specialist Dakota Ditcheva will get her toughest test to date, with former UFC title challenger Taila Santos marking the latest looking to take her ‘0’ inside the cage.

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (144.8lbs) vs. Timur Khizriev (144.7lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (124.9lbs) vs. Taila Santos (125lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (204.6lbs) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (204.1lbs)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (168.8lbs) vs. Shamil Musaev (169.8lbs)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (154.3lbs) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (155lbs)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (245.8lbs) vs. Oleg Popov (249.5lbs)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Maraoune Bellagouit (144.8lbs) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (144.4lbs)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (169.6lbs) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (170lbs)
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif (105.4lbs) vs. Lilia Osmani (108.3lbs)**
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (134lbs) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (134.8lbs)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (154.6lbs) vs. Georges Eid (155lbs)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (153.6lbs) vs. Alfie Davis (155.7lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (243.5lbs) vs. Abraham Bably (251.8lbs)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (152lbs)* vs. Jeremy Kennedy
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (145.9lbs) vs. Jose Perez (145lbs)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (185.9lbs) vs. Joao Dantas (185lbs)

    *Jesus Pinedo missed the featherweight limit by 6 pounds, replaced by Gabriel Braga

    **Lilia Osmani missed the atomweight limit by 2.3 pounds, fight to proceed at catchweight of 109 pounds

  • PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    The 2024 PFL World Championship is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this week’s long lineup.

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    At the lengthy event, plenty of gold will be handed out as the latest global champions and the inaugural MENA kingpins are crowned following the conclusion of this year’s regular seasons.

    And the headlining spots have gone to a pair of British standouts, with 2022 featherweight title winner Brendan Loughnane shooting for two-time status in the main event opposite Timur Khizriev. Before that comes a matchup long pointed to as one of the most intriguing in the promotion, as last year’s PFL Europe flyweight queen Dakota Ditcheva meets former UFC title challenger Taila Santos.

    Also competing for championships will be the likes of Impa Kasnaganay, Brent Primus, and Denis Goltsov, while notable names like Mansour Bernaoui, Slim Trabelsi, Jesus Pinedo and Costello van Steenis will appear in showcase bouts.

    2024 PFL World Championship Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for this year’s PFL World Championship (as of 11/27), courtesy of DraftKings.

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (+260) vs. Timur Khizriev (-325)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (-380) vs. Taila Santos (+300)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (-180) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (+150)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (+220) vs. Shamil Musaev (-270)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (+410) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (-550)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (+110) vs. Oleg Popov (-130)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (-115) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (-105)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (-410) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (+320)
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (-290) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (+235)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (-218) vs. Georges Eid (+180)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (-298) vs. Alfie Davis (+240)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (-148) vs. Abraham Bably (+124)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (-290) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+235)
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (-142) vs. Jose Perez (+120)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (-625) vs. Joao Dantas (+455)
  • VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

    After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

    A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

    Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

    Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

    Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

    For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

  • 2024 PFL 7 Playoffs: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Weigh-In Results: Liz Carmouche Misses Weight

    2024 PFL 7 Playoffs: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Weigh-In Results: Liz Carmouche Misses Weight

    PFL returns this Friday to kick off the 2024 playoffs with matchups from the heavyweight and women’s flyweight divisions. Before they can compete, they must weigh in today, and MMA News has the results here!

    Everyone on the main card made weight successfully except for Liz Carmouche. She was one pound over the women’s flyweight limit for her bout against Taila Santos. However, the matchup will still occur, but Carmouche will lose a point on the judges scorecards.

    The preliminary card as several fighters that also missed weight. Jaleel Willis and Anthony Ivy missed the welterweight limit for their fight against each other. They will compete in a catchweight bout and will be deducted a percentage of their purse. Sergio Cossio failed to make weight, as he was over six pounds for his lightweight fight taking on Dedrek Sanders.

    All fighters that missed weight will lose a percentage of their purse.

    PFL 7 Main & Co Main Event Preview

    DraftKings currently has the former Bellator heavyweight title contender as a +310 underdog. That said, Johnson has shown in his last three fights that he is still a threat at age 39. Both fighters are known to want to finish their opponents, so fans should be prepared for a potential early knockout.

    Elsewhere on the card, Dakota Ditcheva will take on Jena Bishop in a women’s flyweight playoff bout. Ditcheva comes into the matchup undefeated with 12 wins and entered the season as one of the favorites to win the PFL women’s flyweight championship. Bishop will try to shock the MMA community by ending her win streak this Friday and advance to the final. However, it will be a difficult task as Ditcheva will have a significant height and reach advantage.

    PFL 7 will occur at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The main card will start at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, while the preliminary card will kick the event off at 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT.

    PFL 7: Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson Weigh-In Results

    (Fight Card Is Subject To Change)

    Main card (ESPN+ & ESPN):

    • Heavyweight: Denis Goltsov (247.6 lbs) vs. Tim Johnson (265.8 lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva (125.2 lbs) vs. Jena Bishop (125.2 lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Oleg Popov (247.2 lbs) vs. Linton Vassell (248 lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Taila Santos (125.2 lbs) vs. Liz Carmouche (127 lbs)*

    Preliminary card (ESPN+):

    • Heavyweight: Tyrell Fortune (255.6 lbs) vs. Sergey Bilostenniy (249.6 lbs)
    • Featherweight: Alexei Pergande (146 lbs) vs. Daniel Boehle (145.2 lbs)
    • Featherweight: Cody Law (145.4 lbs) vs. Zachary Hicks (145.6 lbs)
    • Lightweight: Sergio Cossio (162.8 lbs)* vs. Dedrek Sanders (155.25 lbs)
    • Welterweight: Jaleel Willis (172.6 lbs)* vs. Anthony Ivy (172 lbs)*
    • Welterweight: Kevin Pease (169.2 lbs) vs. Nick Meck (170.2 lbs)

    *Liz Carmouche missed the women’s flyweight limit by 1 pound

    *Sergio Cossio missed the lightweight limit by 6.8 pounds

    *Jaleel Willis missed the welterweight limit by 1.6 pounds

    *Anthony Ivy missed the welterweight limit by 1 pound

  • Valentina Shevchenko Vs. Taila Santos In The Works For UFC 275

    UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko will make her next title defense against Taila Santos at UFC 275 on June 11.

    The news of the booking was first reported by MMA Fighting.

    Shevchenko is coming off another dominant win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 266. She has won eight straight fights and earned six straight successful title defenses.

    Shevchenko earned the title by defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant title at UFC 231. She earned a unanimous decision victory and followed it up with wins over Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche, and Katlyn Chookagian.

    One of Shevchenko’s few tests as the flyweight champion came against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. It was a back-and-forth battle with Shevchenko winning the fight based on activity.

    It was also announced today that Maia is scheduled to face Manon Fiorot at a UFC Fight Night event on March 26 on the promotion’s Columbus, OH card.

    TAILA SANTOS SET FOR UFC RETURN - MTK Global
    Taila Santos

    Santos will look to provide the toughest test of Shevchenko’s flyweight reign. A winner of four-straight bouts, she most recently earned a nasty first-round submission victory over Joanne Wood last November.

    Santos has also earned lopsided victories over the likes of Molly McCann and Gillian Robertson.

    Shevchenko had previously been interested in a trilogy bout with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost in shocking fashion to Julianna Pena at UFC 269. Nunes will face Peña in a bantamweight title rematch later this year after coaching The Ultimate Fighter together.

    UFC 275 is scheduled to be headlined by a UFC light heavyweight title bout between Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházk.

    Shevchenko has a win over the current bantamweight champion Peña and could face her in a rematch down the line. But Shevchenko will have to get past another tough test at flyweight before any talk of fighting at different weight classes resumes.

    Do you think Taila Santos could give Valentina Shevchenko a challenge?