Thiago Santos was on the losing side of a competitive fight with Jamahal Hill at UFC Vegas 59. Santos is now 1-5 in his last six bouts and will be desperate to prove he still has what it takes to make his way back towards the title.
Following his defeat, Santos showed respect to Hill and his team, and did not offer up any excuses as to why he lost the fight. On Twitter, Santos said that he gave it his all, but that it just wasn't his night.
"I worked hard and I had a amazing training camp, i [left] everything in there and still wasn't enough, no shame about that, just a bad night at the office, congratulations to Hill. I will be back stronger and better. Thank you all"
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Thiago Santos suffered a devastating leg injury in his title fight with Jon Jones back in 2019 and he has struggled to showcase the same level of ability since. Despite his recent form, Santos' 1-5 period has included bouts against the elite, such as Jones, Magomed Ankalaev, Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic.
His recent TKO loss to Jamahal Hill is nothing to be ashamed of either, with the fight being closely contested until the stoppage came in the fourth round. Hill seems to be one of the brightest rising stars in the light heavyweight division, and his skills on the feet in particular are lethal.
Thiago Santos will be looking to turn fortunes around next time out
Thiago Santos has been on the losing end of five out of his last six bouts. Granted, they have been against the top fighters in the light heavyweight division, but Santos will be hoping he can start putting together wins that will advance him towards the title.
At 38 years old, Santos still believes that he has what it takes to become UFC champion, but his current form has left him some way off another opportunity at the belt.
The injuries sustained against Jon Jones back in 2019 seem to have severely hampered the abilities of 'Marreta'. But if Glover Teixeira has shown us anything, it is that you can never count out a fighter due to their age.