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REPORT | Junior dos Santos vs. Kubrat Pulev Targeted For Triller Triad Combat Event In 2022

A heavyweight boxing match pitting former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, and recent feature, former IFB and WBA heavyweight champion, Kubrat Pulev is currently in the works to land on a Triller Triad Combat card in 2022, with MMA Junkie reporters, Danny Segura and Nolan King noting a potential February event – following […]

Junior dos Santos set to make his combat return for the first time since last December

Expected to make his first outing since his release from the UFC back in March of this year, dos Santos, a former undisputed heavyweight champion under the promotion’s banner, had been linked to a potential move to Eagle FC, led by Khabib Nurmagomedov, especially after reports emerged detailing how dos Santos was now managed by Dominance MMA leader, Ali Abdelaziz.

In his last professional outing, the Santa Catarina native suffered his fourth consecutive knockout loss – dropping a second round defeat to current interim division titleholder, Ciryl Gane at UFC 256 in December.

For Pulev, the Bulgarian-born veteran headlined the most recent Triller Triad Combat showcase in November, taking on common-foe, another former UFC heavyweight champion, Frank Mir, in an MMA vs. boxing matchup.

Scoring a dominant first round knockout win. Pulev managed to land his fifteenth professional knockout win in combat sports.

The 40-year-old last featured professionally as a boxer in December of last year, dropping just his second professional loss from a 30-fight career in the form of a ninth round knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua in a WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO heavyweight title fight.

dos Santos, 37, is without a victory since March 2019 where he earned Fight of the Night in an eventual third round knockout win over recent UFC Vegas 45 headliner, Derrick Lewis. The stoppage came as dos Santos’ fifteenth professionally via strikes.

Pulev’s sole other professional boxing loss came against former champion, the heralded, Wladimir Klitschko back in 2014, with the European Championship gold medalist scoring wins over the likes of Tony Thompson, Derek Chisora, Kevin Johnson, Hughie Fury, and Rydell Brooker.

Junior Dos Santos Claims Mike Tyson Snubbed Him Of UFC Bonus

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos says boxing legend Mike Tyson convinced the UFC to not give him a post-fight bonus.

Dos Santos was released from the UFC earlier this year after a recent losing skid to the likes of Ciryl Gane and J…

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos says boxing legend Mike Tyson convinced the UFC to not give him a post-fight bonus.

Dos Santos was released from the UFC earlier this year after a recent losing skid to the likes of Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. He hasn’t ruled out signing with another MMA promotion but has hinted at a transition to boxing before his career ends.

But dos Santos raised plenty of eyebrows during a recent interview with The Sun, in which he accused Tyson of convincing UFC president Dana White to give him just one post-fight bonus instead of two for his knockout over Mark Hunt at UFC 160.

Junior Dos Santos Claims Mike Tyson Told UFC To Take KO Bonus

“Back in the day, Mike Tyson took from me $50,000 because of Dana White!” dos Santos said. “When I fought Mark Hunt I had two Bonuses of the Night – Best Fight of the Night, and Best Knockout of the Night. And Mike Tyson was there watching the fight and at the press conference after the fights, Dana White said, ‘Junior Dos Santos has won two bonuses of the night. Best Fight of the Night, and Best Knockout of the Night.’

“But I was asking Mike Tyson and he told me to give the Knockout of the Night to somebody else!” dos Santos continued. “He said, ‘Why give two bonuses to just one guy?’ So he took away from me $50,000. So he owes me $50,000!”

Tyson and the UFC brass, and most specifically White, have had a cordial relationship for years. Tyson has attended a series of UFC events, including dos Santos’ win over Hunt at UFC 160.

Dos Santos has had plenty of things to say about how the UFC treated him on his way out of the promotion, accusing them of forcing his hand with opponents and threatening to cut him if he didn’t accept bouts. These are claims that that UFC has fervently denied.

Dos Santos has remained in the public eye since leaving the UFC and was part of the commentary team for the recent Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort boxing match. Tyson has also returned to the boxing world, beginning with his recent return against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition.

What do you think about Junior dos Santos’ comments?

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Dana White Responds To ‘Unprofessional’ Label From Junior dos Santos

Dana White gives his side of the story on Junoir dos Santos’ UFC release. Back in March, longtime UFC vet Junior dos Santos was released from the UFC. After he parted ways from the company, it was unclear what dos Santos would do next. He had lost his last four bouts with the company before […]

Continue Reading Dana White Responds To ‘Unprofessional’ Label From Junior dos Santos at MMA News.

Dana White gives his side of the story on Junoir dos Santos’ UFC release.

Back in March, longtime UFC vet Junior dos Santos was released from the UFC. After he parted ways from the company, it was unclear what dos Santos would do next. He had lost his last four bouts with the company before the release. Now, dos Santos is speaking out about his release and the feelings he has toward the UFC.

dos Santos recently made his debut in pro wrestling. Having made a choice to pursue this avenue, dos Santos had the chance to speak out about his former employer. In an interview, he said that the UFC was “unprofessional” and took advantage of him. Dana White has now responded to these comments.

“So Junior dos Santos said some stuff the other day: that he was upset, that I was all about money and the way that he left,” White explained to Aaron Bronsteter of TSN. “Listen, how old is he? He’s in his 40s now. He was on a four- or five-fight losing streak. And there comes a time and a day where I have to make a decision when a guy keeps losing and he’s at a certain age, this just isn’t the place to be anymore.

“There’s tons of other places where you could go fight and where you could make a lot of money. I mean, a lot of these guys, once they’ve built and established their name here, move on to these other promotions and make crazy money. And good for them. And that’s just how it works.”

dos Santos isn’t the only one to recently bast White and his practices inside the UFC. Fedor Emelianenko also criticized White for only caring about money. As for dos Santos, he will not be returning to the UFC and seems to be happy with where he is in wrestling. He was recently featured of AEW among some top stars.

Do you agree with Junior dos Santos or Dana White in this case?

Continue Reading Dana White Responds To ‘Unprofessional’ Label From Junior dos Santos at MMA News.

Junior Dos Santos Says UFC Threatened To Cut Him If He Turned Down Fights

Former UFC Heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos has had a successful post UFC career so far, most notably making numerous appearances in an AEW ring. Speaking with MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca, the former UFC champion opened up on his final run in the company, where everything felt “forced and really weird.” Competing at AEW “lit […]

Former UFC Heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos has had a successful post UFC career so far, most notably making numerous appearances in an AEW ring.

Speaking with MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca, the former UFC champion opened up on his final run in the company, where everything felt “forced and really weird.” Competing at AEW “lit a gigantic fire inside of me” after not feeling so welcome in the UFC anymore.

“They were really unprofessional, let’s put it this way, with the way they treated [me], like they [treat] everybody else,” Junior dos Santos said. “I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last. The last two fights I got were on those terms, ‘You take it or you’re out.’”

“I was always a nice guy because that’s how I like to be, I like being nice to people so people are nice to me,” Dos Santos said. “I learned to be that way in life, to never expect from others something I don’t give them. I was always a nice guy, treating everybody well, always smiling, and in a way they took advantage of it, or treated it as a weakness, kind of putting me down, I don’t know. They tried to take the most advantage they could of the athlete I built, of Junior ‘Cigano,’ especially the way the last fight was, something really odd.

“But honestly, that’s in the past. There’s nothing I can do, so I won’t carry that with me because, like I said, that’s in the past and it can’t leave the past. I’ve done a lot of therapy and learned to deal with that in a better way. We can’t resolve some things, so they’ll stay that way, and that’s the case with this [situation]. Let’s move on. This type of situation now with pro wrestling showed how much Junior ‘Cigano’ is beloved and how much Junior ‘Cigano’ can still perform.”

Since Dos Santos is no longer under contract with the UFC, he is open to signing with a different MMA organization, but is focused on making the jump to the boxing world where the contract situations tend to differ vastly from the MMA contracts he’s used to citing, “you sign an eight-fight contract and [they will] do whatever [they] want with you.”

“That’s what happens in the UFC and these promotions,” said Dos Santos, who had five bouts left in his deal at the time of his departure. “That locks up the athletes, [losing] great possibilities to negotiate, and they do what they want. The UFC has the safety to keep you locked for eight fights. Now, you lose the first one and they can let you go if they want, there’s no safety [for the athlete]. It’s different in boxing, you negotiate fight after fight, contracts and pay. My case in the UFC, for example, I fought seven times before [fighting for] the belt. I was making the same amount of money stated in my contract.”

Dos Santos hopes that the future for MMA fighters is safer and better pay for all involved. He believes the structure in boxing is a lot better than the one in MMA, but hopes that can change in the future.

“There’s nothing helping athletes,” Dos Santos said. “Legally, we have no structure in MMA like boxing has with this law. … That’s very important for fighter’s protection because right now things happen the way [MMA promoters] want. They do as they will. If it worked, great. If not, they kick you out, they move you aside, lower your pay, do this or that. I think it would be very important if they would finally bring the Ali Act to MMA and make it all more clear and protect fighters more, with better contracts and a foundation to defend the athletes.”

How do you feel about Junior Dos Santos bashing the way the UFC handled his exit?

Junior Dos Santos Details UFC Split: ‘They Were Really Unprofessional’

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos has sounded off on what went down with the UFC before his release from the promotion. Dos Santos is turning to a new chapter in his athletic career, transitioning from MMA to professional wrestling with rising promotion All Elite Wrestling. He made his debut this past weekend and […]

Continue Reading Junior Dos Santos Details UFC Split: ‘They Were Really Unprofessional’ at MMA News.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos has sounded off on what went down with the UFC before his release from the promotion.

Dos Santos is turning to a new chapter in his athletic career, transitioning from MMA to professional wrestling with rising promotion All Elite Wrestling. He made his debut this past weekend and most recently made an appearance in the commentary booth for the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort boxing match.

But dos Santos’ 2021 got off to a rocky start after he was let go from the UFC after more than a decade with the promotion. During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Trocacao Franca podcast, he gave some insight as to what happened towards the end of his UFC career.

Junior dos Santos Was Released By The UFC After Four Straight Losses

“They were unprofessional, let’s put it this way,” Dos Santos said. “I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last. The last two fights I got were on those terms, ‘You take it or you’re out.’”

“I was always a nice guy because that’s how I like to be, I like being nice to people so people are nice to me,” Dos Santos continued. “In a way, they took advantage of it or treated it as a weakness, kind of putting me down. But honestly, that’s in the past. There’s nothing I can do, so I won’t carry that with me because, as I said, that’s in the past and it can’t leave the past.”

The ‘last two fights’ that dos Santos referred to were his most recent TKO losses to top contenders Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Before that, dos Santos had lost by two additional knockouts to current heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes.

Many feel that dos Santos is one of the most decorated heavyweights in UFC history, with nine straight wins to begin his career with the promotion. He earned the heavyweight belt in 2011 by defeating Cain Velasquez via knockout, before defending the belt successfully against Frank Mir.

Dos Santos had been rumored to be in the running for a fight with heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko for the Russian’s Bellator return, although negotiations never materialized. Dos Santos has alluded to a possible career in boxing to go with his new home in the world of professional wrestling.

What are your thoughts on Junior dos Santos’ recent comments regarding his departure from the UFC?

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Fedor Explains Why He Chose To Fight Tim Johnson Over dos Santos

Even as his career comes to a close, “The Last Emperor” still wants to test himself. Fedor Emelianenko was once considered by many as the best fighter on the planet. At 45-years-old, it seems Emelianenko’s fighting career should be coming to an end soon. Yet, even as the curtain closes on a historic run that […]

Continue Reading Fedor Explains Why He Chose To Fight Tim Johnson Over dos Santos at MMA News.

Even as his career comes to a close, “The Last Emperor” still wants to test himself.

Fedor Emelianenko was once considered by many as the best fighter on the planet. At 45-years-old, it seems Emelianenko’s fighting career should be coming to an end soon. Yet, even as the curtain closes on a historic run that saw the Russian win 27 bouts straight, Emelianenko doesn’t want easy wins.

Speaking with MMA Junkie, Emelianenko details why he chose to fight Tim Johnson.

“Tim Johnson had quite a winning streak going on,” Emelianenko told MMA Junkie at a virtual news conference. “That obviously shows he’s quite a good fighter. Fighting someone who is spearheading the (division) is always a great opportunity.”

Fedor Emelianenko Quinton Jackson — Fedor Emelianenko leaves “Rampage” face down on the mat Image Credit: Bellator MMA

One man whose name was tentatively linked to a bout with the former PRIDE heavyweight champion is Junior dos Santos. After parting ways with the UFC, dos Santos began calling to fight Emelianenko in Russia. The match-up briefly seemed like a possibility, but it was soon announced that Johnson would be the man flying to Moscow.

Johnson, at least for Emelianenko, made more sense as an opponent.

“Aside from Tim Johnson, Dos Santos, for example, had a serious streak of losses alongside,” Emelianenko said. “He was also fighting for the UFC, as well. That is why I don’t think it would’ve been much suitable to fight him compared to Tim Johnson. Not to mention the fact that Bellator came up with a bunch of options and Tim was the obvious choice.”

dos Santos ended his long tenure with the UFC with four straight losses. While Johnson doesn’t have a “serious streak of losses,” the heavyweight has gone 3-3 since signing with Bellator. His most recent outing ended in a loss to Valentin Moldavsky.

Emelianenko finds himself 3-2 since signing with Bellator in 2017. In 2019, Emelianenko knocked out Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the first round. Since the victory, he’s been absent from the cage due to border closings and his own bout with COVID.

Bellator 269: Fedor vs. Johnson takes place this Saturday, October 23, 2021, from Dinamo Lev Yashin Stadium in Moscow, Russia and will air live on Showtime.

Continue Reading Fedor Explains Why He Chose To Fight Tim Johnson Over dos Santos at MMA News.