SINGAPORE – Valentina Shevchenko doesn’t think Taila Santos actually thinks she can beat her.
Like most of flyweight champion Shevchenko’s opponents, Santos is a big underdog heading into the UFC 275 co-main event title fight. The event takes place Saturday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore, with the main card airing on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+.
Santos (19-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) says she identified some flaws in Shevchenko’s (22-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) game she’s looking to exploit. On the flip side, the champion thinks the challenger is simply trying to convince herself she can win.
“I think it’s kind of hypnotizing herself, trying to convince there is something there should be,” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC 275 media day. “Like everyone is not perfect. Definitely not everyone its perfect, but all my opponents, they were saying the same – the same over and over.
“It’s like, ‘No one is unbeatable. She has some holes in her game.’ But once they step inside the octagon, they feel the opposite side. They feel the difference between the fighters and this is the most important. She’s trying to hypnotize herself to convince that there should be, but she’s wrong. It’s not gonna work for her.”
Should Shevchenko get past Santos and notch her seventh title defense, a potential move up to 135 pounds to challenge the winner of champion Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes is definitely on her mind. Shevchenko holds a win over current champ Peña and two close decision losses to Nunes.
“No matter what outcome is gonna be in their fight in July, either works for me because it’ll be an interesting fight against Amanda and we have history with Julianna because a few years ago, I submitted her,” Shevchenko said. “Either option is gonna work for me.”
Valentina Shevchenko: Taila Santos ‘hypnotizing’ herself thinking she can beat me at UFC 275
