After being released by UFC in December 2020, former UFC
heavyweight champion Junior dos
Santos is really motivated to return to combat sports.
Scheduled to face former European boxing champion, Kubrat Pulev, at
Triad Combat 2 on Feb. 26 in Houston, “Cigano” praised the
promotion’s hybrid rules at a recent press conference held for
Brazilian media.
“The rules are even both for MMA and boxing. The ring in the format
of a triangle will be beneficial for MMA guys, who like less space
to move, which is definitely not my case,” said dos Santos, who is
splitting his training between Cuban boxer Pedro Diaz and American
Top Team wrestler Steve
Mocco. “I think that format makes the fight more interesting. I
also liked that they took out the boring part of boxing when
fighters clinch, and fight is stopped by the judge. In the Triad we
can keep fighting from the clinch, which makes it possible for
these two worlds to collide.”
Dos Santos was critical of the performance of former UFC foe
Frank
Mir, who was knocked out by Pulev at the first Triad Combat
event.
“I didn’t like Frank Mir‘s
performance. He stayed still, also the punches he threw against
Pulev didn’t seem strong to me,” dos Santos said. “Since he didn’t
move, he gave Pulev the opportunity to do what he does best, the
sequence of jab and straights. I´ll bring a totally different
fight. I´m really motivated to fight. Grappling training hurts
a lot. For Triad, I’m being able to train the part that I love the
most and that lit a flame in my heart.”
Speaking to Sherdog.com after the press conference, dos Santos gave
his pick for the UFC 270 heavyweight championship headliner between
Francis
Ngannou and Ciryl
Gane.
“It´s gonna be a clash of styles,” he said. “I think Gane is more
complete as a fighter with a more refined technique. On the other
hand, Ngannou is pure knockout power, something never seen in MMA.
As the two know each other very well ,this will make the fight even
more interesting, but in my opinion Ngannou has the advantage
because it’s very difficult for Gane to go 25 minutes without
committing one single mistake and being hit.
“All Ngannou needs is to get close and put a hand on him. I bet
Ngannou will win.”