Junior Dos Santos: Fighting For More Than Just The Heavyweight Title At UFC 211

At 33, former UFC champion Junior dos Santos remains a relative spring chicken within the UFC’s heavyweight ranks, where fighters often continue to compete beyond their late-30s and even into their 40s.

But the Brazilian slugger has accumulated more miles on his clock than most of his peers, having been consistently pitted against elite opposition since just his eighth professional fight – a 2008 Octagon debut against Pride veteran and UFC champion-to-be, Fabricio Werdum.

Dos Santos will get another crack at the belt he lost in December of 2012 when he takes on Stipe Miocic at UFC 211 on 13 May. But, despite his relative youth, defeat could see the 18-4 heavyweight slip irrevocably from the elite end of the 265lbs weight class.

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Dos Santos’ ascent to the title was rapid and exhilarating, as he knocked off – and knocked out – one veteran contender after another before recording a first-round stoppage victory over Cain Velasquez to claim the 12lbs of gold in November 2011.

However, recent years have been less kind to the man nicknamed “Cigano”, which means gypsy in his native tongue. A couple of brutal, back-and-forth rematch losses to Velasquez likely shortened the careers of both men, and dos Santos has failed to record back-to-back wins since his first and only title defence almost five years ago.

With three losses from his last six fights – including two TKO reverses – dos Santos is hardly riding a wave of momentum coming into his rematch with Miocic. The two first faced off almost two-and-a-half years ago, with the Brazilian scoring a five-round decision victory.

But the closeness of that fight, and the sheer volume and ferocity of blows Miocic was able to land on the once elusive former champion, hinted at a changing of the guard in the division; the American came away with his reputation enhanced, his card marked as a future contender, while dos Santos all of a sudden looked like he’d lost a step or two.

Dos Santos was knocked out by Alistair Overeem the next time he stepped into the eight-sided cage, but was able to bounce back with a decision victory over Ben Rothwell in his last outing a year ago, enough to bag himself another shot at his old strap.

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With an impressive résumé which includes wins over the likes of Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, Werdum and Velasquez, few would dispute dos Santos’ claim to being one of the most skilled heavyweights to ever have competed in the UFC.

However, when he steps into the Octagon to take on Miocic – a man who, somewhat surprisingly, is 18 months his senior — at UFC 211, dos Santos will be fighting to remain relevant in the current landscape.