Former UFC flyweight champion Taila Santos has been released from her contract with the organization. MMA Fighting received confirmation of the story on Tuesday from many sources who are aware of the circumstances.
After victories over Molly McCann, Gillian Robertson, Roxanne Modafferi, and Joanne Wood during a 14-month period, Santos was given a chance to compete for the UFC flyweight championship. In June 2022, she challenged Valentina Shevchenko to a hotly disputed split decision in Singapore, however she was eventually unsuccessful in her attempt to win the title.
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Former Flyweight Title Holder Taila Santos To Part Ways With UFC
In August 2023, Santos lost her most recent fight to Erin Blanchfield via unanimous decision. The bout was initially slated to take place in February, but it was postponed when Santos’s husband and other cornermen were refused entry permits into the country. Santos, who signed through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, has a 4-3 record in the UFC. Throughout her professional MMA career, she has a 19-3 record.
Many people were surprised to see Santos released, considering how closely fought Shevchenko was for the championship and how recently she defeated Wood. In an effort to reduce its roster and concentrate on younger, more active athletes, the UFC has, however, been letting go of a number of competitors in recent months.
The UFC’s flyweight division, which is already among the weakest in the company, suffers from Santos’ exit. Few fighters seem to be serious competitors to Shevchenko, who has ruled the category for many years. Santos’s release serves as a further reminder of the UFC’s economic model’s ruthlessness. If a fighter doesn’t live up to expectations, they can even be released who are about to get their opportunity at the crown.
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