For those counting at home, it will have been 431 days.
When she steps in the octagon Saturday to take on Erin Blanchfield (11-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), it will have been 431 days since we’ve seen Taila Santos (19-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) compete. That’s 431 days since she did the previously unthinkable: make Valentina Shevchenko look mortal.
There wasn’t an injury to contend with, no life events that kept her away. Certainly she didn’t want to wait on the sidelines more than a year.
“I’ve been training, studying, ready and focused all along,” she confirms. “I wanted an immediate rematch, and I believe I earned it. It didn’t happen, but I kept training and preparing for this comeback.”
She’s even back fighting in the place where it all happened: Singapore. Things didn’t break in her favor last time. When the scorecards were read, it was the then-champion Shevchenko who was awarded the split decision. But talk to any group of MMA fans who watched that flyweight championship bout, and at least half of them will argue vehemently that Santos won. You won’t catch the Brazilian disagreeing.
“Yes, I believe I won. After the fight, I called her out a bunch of times for a rematch, but she ran. She was willing to fight girls from the weight classes below and above, but she didn’t answer my calls. So she knows she lost that fight and didn’t want to do it again. But yes, I believe I won that fight.”
Of course believing you won and getting two of the three judges to agree with you are two different things. It was only the second loss of her 21-fight professional career – both split decisions. It was her first title shot since she won the Aspera FC belt back in 2016. But if you’re waiting for bitterness or resentment, you’ll have a hard time finding it when you talk to 30-year-old.
“It wasn’t a frustration. I was actually happy, because I knew I won the fight, and it made me realize she also knew and was running from me. By not taking a rematch, she was acknowledging she lost and didn’t want to fight me again.”
As she sees it, even in defeat, she created a blueprint for how to take out one of the greatest champions in UFC history. A blueprint that has already been followed since.
“Absolutely. Everybody talked about Valentina as being this monster, this unbeatable girl. I knew her ground game was her weakness and I showed it since the beginning of the fight by taking her down. I’m sure Alexa Grasso watched the fight and followed these steps until finally getting the submission.”
And as badly as she’d like to bring that flyweight belt back to Balneario Camboriu, she still prefers another crack at Shevchenko first.
“I’d rather fight Valentina, so I can prove that I had beat her by beating her again.”
First, however, is the very real problem of one Erin Blanchfield this Saturday. “Cold Blooded” is 11-1 overall and is coming off a “Performance of the Night” victory over former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade; her eighth straight victory and her third straight submission finish. The New Jersey native has looked nearly flawless since her 2021 UFC debut and is looking to jump the line of veterans like Santos. It’s one of MMA’s oldest cliches that you can’t leave things in the judges’ hands. Twice bitten by that truism, Santos has no plans to let it happen again.
“I see myself winning either by knockout or submission. This is what I’m aiming for, and I’m sure I’m going to hit the target.”
This story first published at UFC.com.
