UFC light heavyweight Thiago Santos isn’t making excuses for his performance after falling to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Vegas 50.
Santos looked to earn a second straight win in his second straight UFC main event against the upstart Ankalaev. However, it wasn’t meant to be as he appeared hesitant to throw strikes and find his timing throughout the fight with Ankalaev.
Santos, who previously had gone toe-to-toe with Jon Jones at UFC 239, has failed to recapture the same magic in losses in three of his last four fights. He’s fallen to the likes of Aleksandar Rakic, Glover Teixeira, and now Ankalaev.
In a recent Instagram post, Santos addressed his fans while also reflecting on the loss to Ankalaev.
“No words about yesterday, no excuses, another hard and painful defeat,” Santos said. “Still, my faith in God remains unshakable and my gratitude to him, my family, my friends, coaches and true fans only increases, thank you for everything.”
Santos had once looked like a world-beater after moving from middleweight to light heavyweight earlier in his UFC career. While he remains a dangerous foe for most 205 pounders, it’s unclear whether or not he’ll still be able to contend for a light heavyweight title.
Despite the disappointing loss, Santos seems optimistic about his future in the UFC. He’ll look to get back in the win column with his next potential appearance later this year.
What do you think is next for Thiago Santos?
