Thiago Santos is on cloud nine.
Yesterday (Feb. 23), Santos took on Jan Blachowicz in a pivotal bout for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC’s) light heavyweight division. Santos needed a win to crack the top five rankings over Blachowicz, who was ranked at number four. Mission accomplished as Santos finished his opponent via TKO in the third round.
Thiago Santos Has UFC Gold On His Mind
Santos made it clear in his post-fight interview with Dan Hardy that he’s gunning for the UFC light heavyweight title. He doubled down during the UFC on ESPN+ 3 post-fight press conference (via MMAJunkie.com):
“I’m very happy. Now, I look forward. And, in front of me, I see only a title shot… There’s no one else in front of me. I beat the fourth in the rankings (Blachowicz). The third (Smith) is fighting for the title now. I’m the next one.”
If Santos were to receive a light heavyweight title opportunity with Jon Jones as the champion, “Marreta” believes he’ll pull off the upset:
“For sure, I won’t be the favorite. For sure, they will think Jon Jones will beat me. And I will shock the world, as I have been doing. I’m here, in this position where I’m at, for a reason. I want my shot. I want my opportunity. I’ve earned it. I want my opportunity. Just give me the opportunity, and I will shock the world.”
Can Thiago Santos eventually capture UFC gold?
