Junior dos Santos would love to fight Daniel Cormier before the current UFC heavyweight champion retires.
There are a few things standing in his way, including the imposing figure of Brock Lesnar, who figures to be Cormier’s final title challenger sometime between now and the March date in which Cormier is expected to hang up the gloves. That whole situation — Lesnar getting a title shot and Cormier’s reason for wanting it — befuddles dos Santos, he said Saturday after he beat Tai Tuivasaby second-round TKO in the main event of UFC Adelaide.
“He’s incredible,” dos Santos said of Cormier (h/t Submission Radio). “He’s an amazing athlete. He’s doing some amazing things in his career. I think it would be very good for me — actually for anyone — to fight someone like him. I don’t know what’s happening right now. I think he wants to fight Brock Lesnar or something, it doesn’t make any sense for me. I don’t really care. If the UFC wants to make that happen, that’s fine.”
Dos Santos, 34, said he can’t really seem to wrap his brain around the whole situation. First, he’s not sure what Lesnar has done to warrant a title shot. Lesnar will be coming off a USADA suspension for testing positive for the prohibited substance clomiphene in 2016. The WWE star has not officially won an MMA fight since 2010, against Shane Carwin at UFC 116. Lesnar beat Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the win was overturned by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) due to the failed drug test.
On top of that, dos Santos just doesn’t get why Lesnar is a financial draw in the first place. Lesnar is one of the best selling fighters in terms of pay-per-view in UFC history. JDS, who was scheduled to fight Lesnar in 2011 before Lesnar withdrew to a bout of diverticulitis, is at a loss as to why people want to see Lesnar fight so badly.
“The way I understand is that’s what Daniel Cormier wants to do to make money,” dos Santos said. “So somehow, people want to see that, because if they pay to see that it’s gonna be interesting for the UFC, of course. Somehow, Brock Lesnar sells. Somehow they want to see him fighting. I don’t know why. Why? Because he says stupid things? Because he’s a big guy who says stupid things? It doesn’t really make much sense for me.
“Even because he doesn’t deserve to fight for the title. He has no record for that. Also, because, man, he was out because USADA took him out. Not because he wants. USADA took him out and now he’s gonna come back and fight for the title. If MMA is a sport, a real sport, it doesn’t make any sense. But like I said, if people want to see that, we have to give [it to] them.”
Dos Santos (20-5), a former UFC heavyweight champion like Lesnar, is angling for a rematch with Alistair Overeem next. Overeem knocked out dos Santos in 2015.
“I see myself winning all those fights,” dos Santos said of potential rematches with opponents who beat him. “So, I think this rematch would make a lot of sense now. Overeem is a smart guy. Every time he asks for something, it’s because he thinks it’s going to be better for him. I don’t do that type of shit. … I’m asking for him because it makes sense. In my mind, it makes sense to do this rematch right now.”
Dos Santos wants to get on path to return to a title shot. He had won against Stipe Miocic last year, but he was finished by TKO. The Brazilian held the heavyweight gold in 2011 and 2012, losing it to Cain Velasquez.
“I won’t accept any of my defeats,” dos Santos said. “I really believe that I have everything that it takes to be No. 1 in this division. And I want to prove it. I want to show all you guys that I’m right.”
