One week after picking up his third consecutive knockout victory, Thiago “Marreta” Santos was cageside for this past Saturday’s UFC 235.
It certainly was no coincidence – the Brazilian slugger made his way to Las Vegas to get an up-close look at the man he believes should be next: UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
“I did what I needed to do to get here, and there’s no other path,” Santos told reporters, including MMAjunkie, backstage at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “It’s my time now.”
Jones, of course, capped off UFC 235 with a convincing decision win over Anthony Smith to defend the UFC’s light heavyweight crown. Afterward, UFC President Dana White said he “loves” the idea of booking Jones vs. Santos later this year, though “Bones” wasn’t ready to commit to the contest or a targeted date just yet.
Regardless, Santos said he’s up the challenge and awaits his shot at UFC gold.
“I’m going to shock the world,” Santos said.
To hear more from Santos (21-6 MMA, 13-5 UFC), check out the video above.
For complete coverage of UFC 235, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
