Sting of Only Defeat Still Motivates Junior dos Santos

Brian KnappDec 24, 2012



When Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder Junior dos Santos climbs into the cage to defend his crown against Cain Velasquez at UFC 155 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, he will do so as a man who knows what defeat feels like. The 28-year-old Brazilian submitted to an armbar from Joaquim Ferreira at a Mo Fight Team event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Nov. 10, 2007. It remains the lone defeat on the dos Santos resume. During a pre-fight media call for UFC 155, the world’s top heavyweight admitted it still serves as a source of motivation:

“It doesn’t affect me at all. That fight was a really long time ago. It was my only loss, and I do my best every day to make sure it stays the only loss of my career.”