Mairon Santos had his hand raised after a 15-minute conflict with Francis Marshall at UFC 313, however the resolution had many people calling it a robbery on social media.
Santos felt he was the rightful winner when he left the octagon in Las Vegas, saying judges “don’t know sh*t, I gained the battle,” however modified his thoughts upon rewatching the featherweight bout.
Santos advised MMA Combating it’s exhausting to have an actual concept of how the battle goes scoring-wise if you’re the one touchdown punches and getting hit again, and would have felt robbed Saturday night time had the judges gave Marshall the victory.
“I watched the battle, and noticed it was nearer [than I felt], even on the toes,” Santos mentioned. “I hit him, however he additionally hit me again. When the battle was over, I felt I clearly gained, however that wasn’t the reality. In conditions like that, I feel takedowns make a distinction, so I went again and noticed that he had gained it. I feel it will have been a greater resolution. However the judges mentioned I gained, and I’ve to dwell with that. I’m taking it as a loss regardless that I gained, so let’s transfer on and get higher subsequent time.”
Santos was coming off a TUF-winning knockout over Kaan Ofli in August 2024 and admits he was a tad overconfident getting into his UFC 313 bout.
“The primary factor was that I solely introduced good issues from my earlier battle, like understanding I’ve knockout energy and my takedown protection is superb,” Santos mentioned. “Leg kicks, I skilled that loads. I ended up too dependent of these issues. I assumed I might go there and he would really feel the primary punch I landed might finish the battle. In the long run, I couldn’t land a punch the way in which I needed, and people I landed he was capable of soak up nicely. I landed a number of leg kicks and he took them nicely.
“I’m not proud of my efficiency,” he continued. “I do know I can battle loads higher than that, however I can’t return in time, it already occurred. What I can do it return to the gymnasium and practice and be higher subsequent time. That’s what I take away from this battle, the educational and expertise.”
Santos mentioned he’s open to a rematch, however doesn’t anticipate the UFC to ebook it given it wasn’t a battle with larger stakes between two well-liked athletes.
In the long run, the advantage of having his hand raised was that Santos was paid his win bonus, which is much more essential now that he has a new child at residence.
“Deep in there, I didn’t need it to be like that, as a result of we have now a code of honor,” Santos mentioned, “However that’s what occurred, it’s the fact, and we are able to’t change it.”
