Thiago Santos will be fighting for UFC gold for the first time in his career on Saturday in the main event of UFC 239. There, the Brazilian is set to take on light heavyweight king, Jon Jones.
Santos knows beating “Bones” will not be easy, but believes he can get it done.
“All my fights up to this point were very important – not just the wins, but also the losses,” Thiago Santos said to MMA Junkie. “They helped me mature, to see where I was going wrong. Everything happened at the right time, as God willed it. It all brought and prepared me for this moment. I feel very ready. Everyone will be surprised.”
Although no one has been able to beat Jones, Santos is confident in his skills. He understands the challenges the champion presents but knows this is his moment to shine.
“Jon Jones is … Jon Jones,” Thiago Santos said. “He’s a phenomenal fighter. Without a doubt, he’s one of the best in the world. He’s managed to beat great fighters with a certain ease. But no one is unbeatable. Everyone has their moment. Now is my moment.
“This is the best phase in my career. I know it’s going to be a difficult fight. It’s going to be hard, but I have faith in the fact that I have what it takes to beat Jon Jones.”
Not only would he shock the world by beating Jon Jones at UFC 239, but the Thiago Santos also has another idea. He is not opposed to dropping back down to middleweight and winning that belt as well to become a champ-champ in his own right.
“My goal is to win the light heavyweight belt and defend it,” Santos explained. “But I’m still open to dropping back down to middleweight to capture that belt.”
Thiago Santos went 10-5 in the middleweight division before moving up to light heavyweight in late 2018.
What do you make of Thiago Santos’ comments about capturing the middleweight title after beating Jon Jones? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/2/2019.