Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos signs with Triller to compete under their Triad Combat banner in February.
The Brazilian MMA legend, and UFC great, will be taking his talents to the triangle-shaped ring of Triad Combat in the new year. TMZ Sports was the first to report the news on Tuesday morning. The outlet also claims their sources say “Cigano” will face Triad Combat 1 headliner Kubrat Pulev on a yet-to-be-announced card in February.
Dos Santos, 37, has not fought since being released by the UFC in March. He had 23 fights in the promotion, and finished with a 15-8 record during an 11-year run on the roster. He became the UFC heavyweight champion by beating Cain Velasquez on the promotion’s first nationally televised event at UFC on FOX 1 in 2011. After relinquishing the title to Velasquez a year later, he would compete for the title on two more occasions. Coming up short to the Mexican-American again in 2013, and to Stipe Miocic four years later.
Junior Dos Santos signs with Triller, will compete in Triad Combat
Dos Santos’ run in the UFC came to a disappointing end after he lost four straight fights by knockout.
Pulev has a 28-2 record as a boxer and most notably lost to heavyweight superstar Anthony Joshua at Wembley Arena last year. The Bulgarian made his Triad Combat debut in November. Beating former UFC heavyweight champion — and one-time dos Santos opponent — Frank Mir by first-round knockout.
Triad Combat employs a mixed ruleset that is boxing-based, but allows for clinch fighting and spinning attacks.
Since hitting the open market, dos Santos has had interest from MMA promotion Bellator, and bare-knuckle boxing outfit BKFC. Triller also runs a boxing promotion in Triller Fight Club. So there is also the possibility the UFC great could eventually compete in traditional boxing bouts as well.
What are your thoughts on dos Santos joining Triad Combat, and do you think he can fair better than Mir did against Pulev?
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