Junior Dos Santos explains importance of ending rivalry, becoming friends with Fabricio Werdum

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos is glad to have the ability to transfer previous variations with a fellow former Brazilian champ.

In 2008, Dos Santos made his UFC debut towards Fabricio Werdum. Dos Santos completed Werdum in simply 81 seconds, marking an exit from the promotion, and thus sparking a bitter rivalry. Werdum would return to the UFC 4 years later, however didn’t cross paths with Dos Santos.

Their second assembly would come 15 years after the primary at Gamebred Bareknuckle 5. Dos Santos as soon as once more claimed victory, however the combat went o the scorecards as they had been each attempting to determine the best way to greatest function with out gloves. Extra importantly for Dos Santos, that allowed him to clear some issues up through the combat.

“We at all times had been feeling this rivalry between us,” Dos Santos instructed MMA Junkie Radio. “… That’s why the combat was vital to go by the factors as a result of we had a little bit little bit of extra time within the cage, so we had been capable of speak to one another lastly. I used to be capable of speak with coach Rafael (Cordeiro) and clarify that it doesn’t make any sense for us to maintain this rivalry going. We’ll by no means combat once more, you already know?”

Issues have come full circle for Dos Santos, who admits he admired Werdum as a younger fighter on the rise. He understands why the rivalry existed whereas on the peak of their careers, however now Dos Santos says he and Werdum are associates. The subsequent time Dos Santos goes to Brazil, he’s planning on being a visitor on Werdum’s podcast.

“The reality is, earlier than our combat, I used to be a fan of Fabricio Werdum – of him and Large Nog,” Dos Santos stated.”… I used to admire Fabricio Werdum loads as nicely, as a result of he was the Brazilian consultant on the earth for the heavyweights. After which after the combat, all the pieces that we stated, all the pieces the best way issues occurred made this rivalry between us, and we by no means talked to one another once more. I used to be by no means capable of say one thing about that as a result of we had been feeling that rivalry.

“However now, after 15 years, we had been capable of combat one another once more and at last I used to be there. I stated, ‘Man, if I’ve nothing, I’m grateful. I fought you again within the day. I like your profession, truly. Fifteen years later we’re right here preventing once more. I keep in mind my debut once I fought you, I used to be preventing Fabricio Werdum, the man who was a giant title at the moment. The man who was alleged to combat for the title already, and I used to be doing my debut within the UFC.’ All people was speaking about that. So the world was capable of discover me as a result of I used to be preventing Fabricio Werdum, so I’m grateful for that.”

Dos Santos is getting ready to compete in bareknuckle MMA once more in March, this time towards one other UFC vet Alan Belcher. “Cigano” has discovered happiness competing in bareknuckle, as he stated his first expertise was the primary time in his whole profession he may truly be within the second.

“I believe we’re even getting higher as human beings, as males that we’re as a result of we’re capable of focus our power on the true competitors, not on this ‘Blah, blah, blah,’ and issues like that, ” Dos Santos stated. “We go there, we promote a combat, in fact. However then we go there and we placed on a very good present, and that’s it. Every part stays there. So, I be ok with it.”