Brave’s ‘Miau’ Santiago still haunted by title shot injury in Brazil
Luan Santiago: “I still do, man, but if I keep thinking about that I won’t move forward. I’m back to square one now.”
In one of the wildest moments of the year, Brave CF lightweight Luan Santiago was ahead on the scorecards vs. Lucas Martins at Brave 12 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, when he was taken down and his arm dislocated. There were four seconds left in the five round title fight.
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The injury did not require surgery, but not all damage is physical. Four months later ‘Miau’ hopes to return to the Brave cage in December, but he remains haunted by the moment. Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting asked Santiago is he still has nightmares.
I still do, man, but if I keep thinking about that I won’t move forward, replied Santiago. I’m back to square one now. I have to do everything all over again. No matter how exciting the fight was, if I put on a show, I’m back to square one.
Alan Omer is a UFC veteran and he’s part of the promotion now, he just beat Gesias [Cavalcante]. He’s tough, and it would be good to come back challenging him. And I will knock him out. I’m going back to my roots and knocking people out as quick as possible. I’ve always fought that way and got the job done, and this is what I’m doing now.
I stopped listening to my corners. The first kicks he threw I thought it was cool, no big deal, but then it started to bother me and I lost focus, wasn’t listening to my corners anymore. I thought about stalling in the end and then that happened. If I had finished him in the first round, none of that would have happened.
No matter how you lose, a loss is a loss and that’s on your record. I lost, and now I have to come back and start all over again.