Report: UFC cuts ex-title challenger Taila Santos
The UFC surprisingly let go of one of the top fighters in women's MMA, releasing women's flyweight Taila Santos from her contract, sources told MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz.
Santos challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC title in June 2022 and almost scored a massive upset win, taking the then-champion to a split decision.
Santos won four in a row - over Molly McCann, Gillian Robertson, Roxanne Modafferi, and Joanne Wood - from July 2020 to November 2021 to earn the title shot.
The Brazilian lost to fellow top contender Erin Blanchfield by unanimous decision in her last UFC appearance in August, giving her two straight losses for the first time. That bout was originally scheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night card in February.
Santos went 4-3 in the UFC after signing via Dana White's Contender Series in 2018. She was ranked No. 4 at women's flyweight at the time of her release.
The 30-year-old has been a pro MMA fighter since 2013 and holds a 19-3 record overall.