JDS: I thought I was winning …

Junior dos Santos landed a low kick on Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 211 on Saturday night; it looked like it hurt. Then he landed a second kick, and Stipe wasn’t moving right, at all. The third kick was partly checked, but that seemed to hurt just as much as the first two.

Then the champ appeared to realize he had to win in a hurry, and did, at 2:22 of Round 1. At the post-fight press conference, JDS explained what happened.

I’m very disappointed, not because he won the fight, but because I lost, he said. I didn’t do any mistakes. Actually, everything was working very well. I know he walks forward all the time. And I like to walk backward and enjoy the opportunities that my opponents give me. I was throwing some hard kicks, and they were working very well until – I remember, the last kick I threw at him, he felt a lot. And I felt I did well. ‘Now I have to move.’ And then I don’t remember anymore.

After the third kick, I felt happy in my heart. I said, ‘Man, it’s working; I’m going to win.’ And then, you know – heavyweights.

I didn’t do any mistakes; it was on him. He did very well, actually. Heavyweights, man. I’m sad, of course. I’d like to win this. I’d like to become the champion again. But if I’m not the champion, I’m glad this guy is the champion. He’s a really nice guy. I still think the same. He deserves that. And tonight was his night.

That’s the heavyweight division. I think I’ve already made many men feel like that. It’s terrible. I was prepared. I am prepared. And I had a lot to give there. And everything was working very well, the way we expected. We know he’s a tough guy who would walk forward all the time.

This guy is the real deal, like I said during the week. He’s doing very well. He has really heavy hands. The way I see it, he’s going to continue to grow in this division … and become one of the greatest.

Now, I’m looking forward to my next fight already, because I want to delete this thing, said dos Santos. I have to sit down and try to understand what kind of lesson God wants me to understand. But I’m here. I’m still looking forward to my future fights, because that’s what I love to do.

Today it didn’t work well for me, but I felt good. I felt almost there. After the third kick, I felt winning – until lights out.