The UFC is in the midst of releasing approximately 60 fighters to may make for new talent being signed. Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos is currently ranked #7 in the division, which would seemingly insulate him from a cut. However, he has lost three in a row, all via TKO, and the UFC recently released Yoel Romero, who was ranked #5 in the middleweight division, and had lost three in a row.
JDS, 36, fights undefeated Ciryl Gane, 30 on the main card of UFC 256 on Saturday night. A loss would put him at four in a row, and a potential candidate for release, but in a recent interview with Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting, dos Santos said he is focusing on the things he can control.
I heard [UFC president Dana White] say that, but, honestly, I’m focused on my next fight, said dos Santos. I thought Romero’s release was really weird and even unfair. What you mentioned about Romero possibly being expensive for the UFC, that’s definitely far from any reality. Nothing is expensive for the UFC. The UFC can’t say any athlete is expensive. … They might want to benefit from signing cheaper athletes, but not that a fighter is expensive for the UFC because the show is always made by the athletes.
The way our contract is, the UFC can release us or cancel our contracts at any moment, so that’s constant in our careers. … It’s part of our run in the UFC.
My intention is to always go for the victory and stay in the promotion because my biggest goal is to go for the belt. Things haven’t gone my way, unfortunately, but, when we’re talking about heavyweights, everyone will always respect when they say my name.
I’m on a very difficult moment in my career. This fight obviously is very important for me. … I hope this experience I’m going through in my career can favor me in the sense of getting the victory. But I’m ready. That’s what really matters to me.
He’s a tough guy, but everyone is in this division. … I’m experiencing what everybody says about heavyweights – that a fight ends when one hand lands. … I always see myself in every fight, making it happen and the hands landing. But I’m obviously prepared for everything. I’ve always trained everything in my life. I always use my boxing because that’s what I love doing, the power of my hands. I’m going into this fight with the same goal, which is go for the knockout, but I’m obviously prepared for anything that happens.
What do you think UG? Does JDS win, and if he doesn’t, will be be released?
