Shevchenko vs. Santos Targeted For UFC 275

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 275 is continually taking shape as a 125-pound Flyweight title tilt is being added to the lineup.

MMA Fighting has reported that a bout between reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko and No. 5-ranked contender Taila Santos is in the works for the June 11 pay-per-view event. The location for UFC 275 has yet to be announced, but early Tuesday Ariel Helwani reported that the promotion is aiming for Singapore.

Shevchenko most recently successfully defended her crown for the sixth consecutive time when finishing Lauren Murphy by fourth-round TKO at UFC 266 in Sept. 2021 (watch highlights). Since dropping for the 135-pound Bantamweight class in 2018, Shevchenko (22-3) has been flawless with an 8-0 run consisting of five finishes — all but one coming via strikes.

The next challenger in Santos got off on the wrong foot in her UFC debut fresh off Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil with a split decision loss to Mara Romero Borella. The loss remains the only one on her otherwise perfect 19-1 record. Four straight victories have followed the defeat with her last being the most impressive — a first-round rear-naked choke submission of Joanne Wood after stunning the perennial contender on the feet (watch highlights).

At the moment, the only other title fight on tap for UFC 275 is the highly anticipated Light Heavyweight showdown between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka. The bout was originally expected to take place at UFC 274 a month earlier.