(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Glover Teixeira after UFC on ESPN+ 40 win?)
Thiago Santos’ return to action from a career-long layoff ended in disappointment Saturday when he fell short against Glover Teixeira in the UFC on ESPN+ 40 main event.
After taking a 490-day hiatus from competition due to a double knee surgery after his title-fight loss to Jon Jones in July 2019, Santos (21-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) finally got back in the octagon and suffered to a third-round submission loss against Teixeira (32-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) in the light heavyweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
MMA can be a cruel game, and Santos has now gone from being a scorecard away from unseating Jones for the belt to back-to-back losses. He’s still a top player at 205 pounds, though, and there are a number of good fights out there for him.
What makes most sense for “Marreta” next? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis of his future after UFC on ESPN+ 40.