JDS Abandoned By Heavyweight Scaredy Cats

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, who was released by the Endeavor-owned fight promotion earlier this year, is looking to continue his combat sports career in either MMA or boxing — with or without gloves.

Unfortunately, nobody is willing to sack up and fight him.

“We were talking with bare-knuckle (BKFC), Bellator, PFL, some boxing conversations as well,” Dos Santos told MMA Junkie. “I would love to do a boxing fight, but it’s hard to find heavyweights with enough courage to take a fight. These guys are just talking, but let’s see what’s gonna happen.”

Dos Santos (21-9) parted ways with UFC after losing four straight fights, all by way of knockout, and is looking to capitalize on the recent “UFC guy fights celebrity boxer” trend. And why not? It certainly paid big bucks for Tyron Woodley.

“My goal today is to show all the people that support me all the time that I’m still here,” Dos Santos continued. “I can perform well, I train very hard, and all my skills – actually, because of all my experience, I think that I’m now even a better fighter. But some things happened that didn’t go very well because my mind wasn’t 100 percent there.”

Dos Santos, halfway to his 38th birthday, was hoping to win the Fedor Emelianenko lottery in Bellator MMA; however, that fight went to Tim Johnson. PFL is winding down its 2021 season and Alistair Overeem took the open slot in GLORY kickboxing.

Hopefully this local promoter is still interested.