Mairon Santos had his fingers raised after a 15-minute conflict with Francis Marshall again in March at UFC 313 and left the cage feeling like a winner. Upon rewatch, nonetheless, he thought his opponent had achieved sufficient to win.
Combating as a light-weight this Saturday on account of having a brief interval of preparation, The Final Fighter 32 featherweight winner faces Sodiq Yusuff on the lookout for a extra definitive victory at UFC Vegas 106.
“I’ve used that [fight] as evolution,” Santos instructed MMA Combating. “I noticed the errors and all the things I did incorrect in that struggle, issues I might have achieved proper. Let’s transfer on and take a look at that as a lesson. At first I used to be brooding over that quite a bit as a result of we all know of our potential and get extra annoyed about that than the very fact somebody was higher than you.
“And I felt [the poor performance] was my fault, it had been errors I made. I’m not taking something away from the man, he fought effectively, however I felt there have been loads of issues I might have achieved higher. I see this struggle as a lesson. As a very good lesson as a result of I received. I’ve made the changes so I don’t make the identical mistake once more, so I can exit with a convincing victory this time.”
Santos stated his greatest concern going into the Marshall struggle was feeling over assured along with his fingers. He had stopped Kaan Ofli 90 seconds within the second spherical to say the TUF 32 crown seven months prior, and thought all he wanted was one punch to beat Marshall.
“It was a lesson I discovered, and for this struggle I’ll be doing new issues that may positively be good for me,” Santos stated. “I used to be blissful after I noticed I used to be going to struggle [Yusuff]. Fighters at all times need the most important challenges, whatever the weight class. I used to be blissful once they gave me that identify as a result of I additionally noticed that the UFC is giving me a very good alternative even if my final struggle wasn’t the best. I do know my potential, and the UFC additionally sees that.”
Yusuff, additionally making his UFC light-weight debut, enters the octagon for the tenth time in his return to motion a bit of over a yr after a fast knockout loss, placing his again in opposition to the wall following consecutive defeats to Brazil’s Diego Lopes and Edson Barboza.
“It has all the things to be an important struggle for me,” Santos stated. “We at all times count on the knockout, so I’ll preserve my phrase. I’ll knock him out within the second spherical. I didn’t respect my final opponent, and for this struggle I wish to respect him however not respect him on the similar time, if you recognize what I imply. My hand will land finally. He walks ahead and exposes himself quite a bit. I imagine that favors me. My hope is that we’ll get the knockout on this struggle — and at last a bonus [laughs].”
