LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 09: (L-R) Russian opponents Jana Santos and Chelsea Chandler face off during the UFC weigh-ins at UFC APEX on August 9, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC)
The No. 12 and No. 14 ranked UFC women’s bantamweight fighters squared off on the main card of UFC Las Vegas 95, with Jana Santos taking on Chelsea Chandler.
“Bantamweight” may have been a misnomer for Chandler, who, while talented, missed the weight limit for two consecutive fights, including missing five pounds for the Santos fight, and his remaining UFC fights have come at featherweight and a catchweight of 140 pounds.
Chandler also fell short of his bantamweight goal in his second pro fight under the Invicta FC banner.
Santos landed a hard right hand early in the first round and was able to dodge it as Chandler neared the fence. A former Invicta champion who has also fought at featherweight, Santos looked fit enough to handle Chandler’s weight. Late in the round, Santos landed a head kick up the top. She aimed for Chandler, but Chandler withstood. Chandler had some success later in the round when Santos landed a spinning back kick that narrowly missed the body.
Round 2 started with a brawl, and Santos got him down within 30 seconds! Chandler fell to his back and stayed there hoping Santos would get on top. Chandler refused and continued to chop Chandler’s leg until the referee stood up. Santos went for a spirited front kick but missed, then followed up with a kick to the leg a few seconds later. Chandler finally closed the distance and backed Santos up against the fence, but Santos easily escaped without even trying for a takedown.
A clinch along the fence led to another exchange of knees but nothing else. Chandler probably needed to use the clinch to take the fight to the ground this round, and perhaps even during the fight, and it seemed he couldn’t. Santos landed a front push kick high enough to graze the face. The kick came again with about 20 seconds left. Santos landed an elbow and was on the offensive again just before the horn sounded.
Chandler was almost certainly losing the second round and the finish was all but inevitable. She used her left hand to force her way into the clinch early in the third. She tried to clinch with clinching hands, underhooking and nibbling, but to no avail. Soon after, Santos freed herself and circled around. Chandler had a strong start, forcing Santos back against the fence again just under two minutes into the round.
Chelsea Chandler was once again unable to finish the fight. Santos managed to turn the tables and gain some control time herself. They separated, went back to the fence, separated again, and came back again. This time Chandler landed two lefts, one of which was a big one. But time was running out and Chandler was unable to clinch and was forced to forfeit the fight.
Jana Santos got back on a winning streak with this win, ending a three-fight losing streak.
Official result: Jana Santos defeats Chelsea Chandler by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
