Fresh off of knee surgery, Thiago Santos Is Calling For Rematch Against Jon Jones After He Suffered A loss to Jon At UFC 239
Jon defeated Santos via split decision although several fans across the world thought Thiago did enough to secure the victory. Throughout the fight, Santos suffered terrible knee injuries that limited the mobility and explosiveness that he is known for.
While Santos is healing from successful surgeries on both knees, he’s had lots of time to reflect during recovery. One of those thoughts is a rematch after he is fully recovered. In an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Santos stated
“I think I won Rounds 1,2 and 5. There has to be a rematch. As soon as I am 100 percent, we have to get back in there to find out a real winner.”
"I think I won Rounds 1, 2 and 5. There has to be a rematch. As soon as I am 100 percent, we have to get back in there to find out a real winner." https://t.co/c34BVGP4MR
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 6, 2019
That rematch will have to wait as it will mostly take at least six to eight months for Santos to fully recover. In the meantime, Santos stated that
” I think that fact that Jones was the champion weighed on the judges’ decision. I think the challenger has to do more to take the belt from the champion.”
At the end of the day, it is up to UFC president Dana White to decide of the rematch will occur or not. With many rising challengers in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division such as Corey Anderson and Johnny Walker, will it make sense in that timeframe to offer Thiago Santos a rematch?
The landscape of the division could look completely different after Corey Anderson takes on Johnny Walker at UFC 244 on November 2nd in New York.
Jan Blachowicz is also coming off of a definitive KO victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 in Las Vegas in which he won performance of the night.
Will the division move forward without Thiago Santos? Do you think he deserves the rematch against Jon? After all, Jon has stated that Santos was the most powerful opponent he has ever faced in his life. Let us know your thoughts.
