Erin Blanchfield answers if Valentina Shevchenko almost losing to Taila Santos has any bearing on their fight (Exclusive)

Erin Blanchfield's sensational first-round submission victory over Molly McCann at UFC 281 drew widespread admiration from the MMA community. The grappling specialist is expected to enter the title mix in the women's flyweight division very soon and she recently assessed divisional queen Valentina Shevchenko.

Shevchenko has been reigning supreme in the flyweight division since 2018, amassing seven title defenses in the process. For a long time, the MMA community as a whole believed that 'Bullet' possessed a flawless game.

However, UFC 275 marked the first time that Shevchenko had to overcome some adversity at 125 pounds to eke out a hard-fought split decision victory against Taila Santos.

Erin Blanchfield hopes to capitalize on her seven-fight winning streak (4-0 in the UFC) and make an enduring impression against No. 2-ranked flyweight challenger Taila Santos with a spectacular performance. On February 18, 2023, they are scheduled to square off at UFC 69 in Las Vegas.

Blanchfield previewed her upcoming clash against Santos in an exclusive interview with James Lynch of Sportskeeda MMA. She also weighed in on whether Santos did enough to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275:

"I remember watching it live. I thought Taila might have edged out [a decision] litlle bit. I think she had more ground control.... But [after] rewatching it I can see how they gave it to Valentina. I mean, it was a split decision for a reason. It was a super close fight."

She added:

"I'm not sure why they wouldn't do a rematch right away considering how close it was. I guess they want someone new for Valentina, they have other plans for her. If Taila wants to fight in the meantime, I'm the perfect opponent."

Check out our exclusive interview with Erin Blanchfield below:

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Erin Blanchfield weighs in on whether a victory over Taila Santos would guarantee an immediate title shot

Erin Blanchfield's primary objective is to fight for the flyweight championship and claim the coveted UFC gold. The No.10-ranked flyweight contender is slated to face former title contender Taila Santos next.

Given how dominant she has been since making her UFC debut, Blanchfield should move closer to title contention with a victory over Santos.

Weighing in on whether a victory over Santos would guarantee an immediate title shot in the aforementioned exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Blanchfield stated:

"Definitely! I mean, everyone has been hyping her [Santos] up because she did well against Valentina. Beating her definitely makes a big statement. I know it's going to move me up pretty far."