The Professional Fighters League has scooped a big
name for next year’s tournament season.
In a surprise announcement on Thursday,
ESPN broke the news that former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger
Thiago
Santos (22-11) is no longer under contract with the UFC. He has
signed with the PFL, where he plans on competing in its 205-pound
division starting in 2023. Per ESPN, in interviews with PFL
president Ray Sefo and
Santos’ manager Alex Davis, Santos’ contract had not ended, but the
UFC allowed for his release. The organization celebrated
his signing on social media shortly after the story came out.
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“It was an amicable separation with the UFC,” Davis explained to
ESPN. “Thiago is very grateful for everything the UFC did for him,
and he’s very grateful toward the PFL for signing with him. He’s
looking forward to winning a million dollars.”
The Rio de Janeiro native has struggled as of late, falling short
by razor-close split decision to champ Jon Jones in
2019 and sliding downhill after that. A submission defeat to future
champ Glover
Teixeira and a lackluster decision setback strung his skid to a
career-long three, straight, and he rebounded by winning a
five-round verdict over Johnny
Walker in 2021. A pair of deflating losses to Magomed
Ankalaev and Jamahal
Hill in 2022 – in the latter, “Marreta” succumbed to strikes
around the midpoint of Round 4. Despite only winning once in his
last six outings, Santos still carries a reputation as a vaunted
striker that only needs one shot to turn the tables or get his hand
raised.
Sefo was thrilled at his company’s new acquisition, saying, “We are
very excited to bring in Thiago
Santos to the PFL light heavyweight division. He is known
throughout the MMA world as a guy who delivers exciting fights, and
I’m looking forward to seeing his elite knockout power up
close.”
Two of the company’s three 205-pound champions have come from the
UFC ranks. The inaugural season saw Sean
O’Connell shock heavy favorite Vinny
Magalhaes to win the belt, while in 2021, Antonio
Carlos Jr. largely steamrolled his opposition to claim the $1
million check. The 2019 bracket did feature ex-UFC talent Jordan
Johnson in the finals, and he came up short against Emiliano
Sordi. The current finals of the PFL light heavyweight tourney
consists of two former UFC fighters in Rob
Wilkinson and Omari
Akhmedov.