The UFC heads to Singapore for a double-header title fight main event at UFC 275 this weekend when Glover Teixeira will defend his light heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka, while Valentina Shevchenko takes on Taila Santos in the women's flyweight division.
42-year-old Teixeira will defend the belt for the first time against the former RIZIN champion, who is fighting for a title in just his third UFC bout, while 'Bullet' Shevchenko defends her 125-pound belt for the seventh time as she looks to declare herself as the best female fighter in the world.
We'll take a look at the two headline fights and break them down while picking out our best free betting picks for you to make some extra cash over the weekend, too while enjoying some great action.
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UFC 275 information
- Saturday, June 11, 2022
- Singapore Indoor Stadium
- 22:00 ET - Main card
- Two title fights - Light Heavyweight (205lbs) and Flyweight (125lbs)
Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka
The two top light heavyweight fighters in the world go head-to-head for the undisputed UFC championship in the main event this weekend in what will be an absolute blockbuster bout.
Current reigning champion Teixeira comes into the bout as the +170 underdog despite currently being on a six-fight win streak that includes a TKO victory over Anthony Smith and submission wins over Thiago Santos and former champion Jan Blachowicz to win the title in his last outing.
Prochazka, on the other hand, comes into the fight as a -200 favorite on a 12-fight win streak with 11 finishes, including knockouts in both of his UFC appearances to date against Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes most recently.
The Czech Republic native has an impressive 28-3 record, including 25 knockouts and has only gone to the judge's scorecards twice in his career. The champion has a record of 33-7, with ten wins via submission and 18 knockouts.
Back Prochazka for violent UFC title win
This fight is almost certain to be a fast-paced banger, with Teixeira keen to take the fight down to the ground if he can while Prochazka will have relentless pressure going forward and look to strike.
Prochazka is a brilliant Muay-Thai technician using kicks, punches, elbows, knees, and a clinch game to inflict as much damage as possible, but his ground game could be deemed as a weakness if he ends up on the bottom. He isn't a submission threat, really, but if he finds himself in a dominant position, then he is very capable of landing dangerous ground and pound and finishing the fight.
The champ will have a clear physicality disadvantage and will focus entirely on his technique where he can, which means grappling will be at the forefront of his game plan. His jiu-jitsu is elite, but his boxing is also terrific, and he won't be completely out of sorts on the feet.
However, with the pressure that the challenger comes forward with, plus the power and size advantage, then it's highly likely that we'll see a new champion crowned in Singapore, and that means Prochazka earns another knockout win.
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Valentina Shevchenko vs Taila Santos
The reigning, defending, undisputed women's flyweight champion enters this fight as a major -600 favorite to retain her crown at UFC 275 this weekend.
Shevchenko is on an eight-fight win streak after the UFC introduced her natural weight class, and she's never looked back since, with seven title fight wins in a row, including four knockout finishes in her two most recent bouts against Jessica Andrade and Lauren Murphy. She holds a professional record of 22-3 and is widely considered the best women's fighter in the world currently.
Santos has been a phenomenon since joining the UFC, and after dropping a split decision in her debut, she has won four in a row in dominant fashion, including a first-round submission win over Joanne Wood in her last bout. She comes into the fight as a +475 underdog.
She has a professional record 19-1, including ten knockout wins and three submissions in a career that has been going since 2013 and contains 12 first-round finishes.
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And still...
The women's game has been dominated by Shevchenko and Amanda Nunes for the best part of the last decade, and while Nunes suffered a shock defeat in her last fight at the back end of 2021, I can't see that happening here to 'Bullet'.
She is a brilliant wrestler with great submission skills on the mat, but it's her incredible striking that separates her from the pack. She has finishing power in her hands and kicks, as well as picture-perfect technique and spectacular range management.
That ability to mix it up and dictate the tempo of the fight will stand her in great stead, but Santos is a legit threat too. The Brazilian is big and powerful and has an elite all-around game too, but this is her first five-round fight and the leap up in competition is something that will likely show early on in the bout.
Shevchenko has the speed and power to be a threat when standing and also the wrestling to make Santos worry about the takedown. That should open up some potential striking opportunities, and while I expect this to go the distance, it should be Shevchenko still holding the belt at the end of the night.
