No fighter ever invites a loss, but that debut defeat, coupled with the sophomore victory, proved to be an invaluable combination as she looked down the road.
“From those two experiences, I know I’m one of the most dangerous fighters in this weight class. Now I feel like I deserve to be in the UFC, and I can really make a run in this division.”
With continued performances like the one against McCann, she’ll certainly have her chance. For the second time in as many fights, the UFC has paired her with another top 15 fighter. On the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Vettori, she’ll meet division mainstay Montana De La Rosa.
“I’m excited because it looks like the old school-style clashes where you’ve got a strict-grappler trying to outgrapple a striker,” Santos says of the matchmaking. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a really interesting fight. Montana is a very brave fighter. It doesn’t matter if she’s winning or losing, she’s always moving forward and coming to fight, so I’m really excited to see how it’s going to go.”
