Dos Santos’ Rise From Bully Victim to UFC Champ
Junior dos Santos said he was never a good fighter when he was growing up.
He said he got into three street fights when he was a kid, never of his choosing. Each time he took a beating. He remembers one of his childhood tormenters, Rodrigo, because he still lives in the same neighborhood in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. He doesn’t remember Rodrigo’s last name, but he remembers that beating.
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“I still see him. He’s like this,” said dos Santos, holding his hand low on his chest.
Dos Santos walked into a gym, much like a 24-Hour Fitness gym, the kind that can be found all throughout Orange County, about seven years ago. He noticed a Brazilian jiu-jitsu class being taught by Yuri Carlton and quickly enrolled. He excelled in jiu-jitsu and he got his first pro MMA fight a year later. He won by soccer kick to the head in the first round.
Six years later, dos Santos (14-1) is set to make the first defense of his UFC heavyweight title against former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir (16-5) in the main event of UFC 146 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on pay-per-view.
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