UFC heavyweight Junior dos Santos (12-1) is busy currently preparing the next crop of “Ultimate Fighters” for the octagon as a coach on the thirteenth season of “TUF.” He and opposing coach Brock Lesnar, will meet later this summer in a #1 contender bout to face Cain Velasquez for the UFC heavyweight title.
Dos Santos recently did an interview with Graciemag.com (full interview to be released in CHOKE magazine, a supplement to Graciemag) to talk about his background as a mixed martial artist, and his thoughts on what technique offered the best foundation for a fighter, boxing or Jiu-Jitsu. Two combat sports that “Cigano” is noted to excel at.
“I had a very modest childhood. My father was a mechanic and my mother was a housekeeper. I sold popsicles, delivered newspapers, worked as a bricklayer’s helper… I did a lot of things…It’s the main art, you have to know it for MMA. A fighter who only knows Jiu-Jitsu has more of a chance at doing well in MMA than an opponent who doesn’t. I’ve been lucky to train with some of the best, the Nogueira brothers. I’ve also trained with Demian Maia, who is on the world A-Team, and with Xande Ribeiro. With Xande I even put on the gi.”