When the smoke cleared at UFC 259, Thiago Santos and Aleksandar Rakic’s fight ended up being the Brazilian’s third consecutive loss inside the octagon.
Prior to the UFC 259 pairing with Rakic, Santos had the intention of rebounding after a tough return fight with Glover Teixeira. Even though many believed the fight would deliver fireworks, it was the opposite. The 29-year old Serbian utilized wrestling and top pressure to control the majority of the fight. While the unanimous decision sends Thiago Santos back in the rankings, the hard-hitting light heavyweight had no excuses following his defeat to Rakic.
“No excuses. Thiago Santos said on social media. I left it up to the judges, it was my fault.”
In 2018, momentum differed for Santos, as the Brazilian was riding high on a three-fight win streak. The success included wins over division staples like Eryk Anders, Jimi Manuwa, and even the current light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz. Ultimately, his efforts would earn himself a title shot against divisional kingpin, Jon Jones. In the end, Thiago Santos came up short despite winning the fight on one of the judge’s scorecards.
Where Does Thiago Santos Stand After Three Losses?
Despite the setback, “Marretta” is poised to move forward in his light heavyweight endeavors. With such a solid list of names on his record, the Brazilian will always be highly sought after among the division. Of Thiago Santos’s 23 wins, fifteen of those come by way of TKO or knockout. The finishing ability alongside his maturity will only do him favors in a division with a champion he happens to be very familiar with.
Given what the Brazilian has accomplished at middleweight and light heavyweight, it stands to reason he’s in line for another big fight despite the setbacks. However, inside the UFC, three losses is never a good look, so it would seem Thiago Santos’s back is now against the wall.
Who would you like to see Thiago Santos face in his return fight following a three-fight skid? Let us know below in the comment section below!
