Jorge Santiago :: TATAME

With nine consecutive victories and three belts won in 13 months, Jorge Santiago is happier than ever. Strikeforce and Sengoku champion, the American Top Team fighter returned to the trainings after a long period of resting, and is already ready for challenges. In an exclusive interview to the TATAME.com, the fighter commented the titles and a possible return to UFC, where he hasn’t got a good history. "I hadn’t much experience. Today, the results would be different. With a good fight strategy and bringing Anderson to my game, I would have big chances to beat him", says Jorge, who spoke about his return to the rings, the fight between Thiago Pitbull and Georges St. Pierre, and more.

How are the trainings in ATT going?

Yeah, I had seven fights in a short time, I was in a very fast rhythm. After my last fight, for the Sengoku’s belt, in January, I had to give time for a little rest and recover from my injuries. Thanks God, I'm back to the trainings, because there’re some people that are going to fight, like (Thiago) Pitbull, Gesias, Thiago Silva and others, then I'm helping them here.

You’ve faced a fight marathon in recent times. How did you feel when you won three belts in such a short time?

In fact, I’ve never been stopped. Even when I wasn’t fighting, I was always training and looking to improve my game so that, when the time comes, I could direct my specific training for each type of opponent that I had ahead. This made it much easier for having done all this fights. I’m very happy to have won these belts, but I think I still have much to do.

In all these fights, which one do you consider the toughest and most important?

Certainly the last! (Kazuo) Misaki is a very tough fighter, I wasn’t finding my distance in the fight, he was always very explosive, so I couldn’t stop him in any position... I was also with my hand broken, but every time I wanted to finish the fight and saw in his eyes that he had the same feeling. At the end of the fifth round I got a drop that ended with a submission. I won the fight in the psychological, I didn’t lost the faith at any time, I always believed that I would win, I just didn’t know how (laughs). I was so tired after the fight that I said to Gesias: "I don’t want to do anything until the next year" (laughs).

How is the rest after the marathon of fights?

It was good, but the rest is over. I had time to visit Brazil, my family and friends. Now, I'm back to the trainings.

Do you have an idea of when you’re fighting again?

I already had the opportunity to return, but my coaches and I think it was better to wait a bit. I pretend to be back in July, but it has nothing certain yet. Sure is that I’ll defend my belt in October against the winner of the likely fight between Misaki and Nakamura, which can happen on August 2 (Sengoku 9).

You're winning everyone since 2007 and your name is growing increasingly in the middleweight. How do you see this step up in your career?

I think that is the result of a long standing work. I’ve concentrated a lot on putting my game well capped on all requirements (Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu and physical conditioning) and, of course, I couldn’t forget to talk about the quality we have here for training and trainers, as Ricardo Libório, Ouali Mohammed, Parrumpinha, André Benkei, Darrel Gholar and Conan Silveira. This took me a long time, but today I’m reaping some fruits of this investment.

What was the predominant factor for this positive change in your results?

I think that was the experience I’ve gained over the times and the professionals that I have around me, working with me in the correct way.

You haven’t had a good passage in the UFC, where you won only one of three fights, but, after that, you won everybody. Why weren’t you so well in the UFC?

I think that was what I was talking about earlier, I hadn’t got much experience. Today, the results would be different.

How would you face a return to the UFC now?

Good, I would return very happy! I just didn’t went back yet because I have fights to do in my contract and I still have much to do here in Japan. But, with a good proposal, why not?

Anderson Silva has dominated the weight in the UFC. Do you point to any athlete in the UFC who is able to stop with his domain? Do you believe you would be this man?

Inside the UFC, I still don’t see anyone who could beat him, but I also think that nobody is invincible. I believe that, with a good fight strategy and bringing Anderson to my game, I would have great chances to beat him.

Who do you consider the three best pound for pound fighter in the world?

To me, in order, is Anderson, Fedor (Emelianenko) and Georges St. Pierre... Until now (laughs).

Pitbull will fight against GSP for the title. How do you think the fight will be?

Pitbull is flying, he wants this belt a lot! ‘Pit’ is a type of athlete that, when you show him a position, he doesn’t forget. You can even do it on him once, but, after he learns to defend, you will never get there again. He is training a lot of Wrestling with athletes with Olympic level, I think he is ready for any kind of situation.