Yana Santos Rips "Embarrassing Decision" After UFC Vegas 123 Loss
The Russian fighter took a not-so-subtle swipe at Luana Santos' grappling game after her frustrating UFC Vegas loss.
Luana Santos snapped Yana Santos' 3-fight win streak at Meta APEX on Saturday, but it was the way in which that defeat came that bothered the bantamweight the mos
The only women's bout on the main card saw three closely contested rounds. However, Luana Santos racked up more ground control time in the final two five-minute sprints, subsequently getting her hand raised via unanimous decision. But had she done enough to satisfy three judges? Yana Santos isn't convinced.
Yana Santos' Frustration Spills Over Online
'Foxy' Santos, who landed more total strikes and significant strikes in the Saturday night encounter, rejected wrestling as a legit fighting strategy. Calling it "hugging," the Russian criticized the lack of damage or any meaningful action.
Taking to Instagram, Santos couldn't help but provide a sarcastic assessment of how she viewed the fight.
"Guess hugging is the new winning strategy in MMA. Hold on, do nothing, take punches, and get your hand raised. Embarrassing decision, but I know what I did in there. I don't feel defeated. It is what it is. Life goes on."
Notably, the 36-year-old didn't call for a rematch, believing she had already made a statement inside the Octagon. The judges, however, saw the showdown in a completely different light.
As the opening bell sounded, Foxy did a great job of keeping the clash on their feet while landing powerful strikes from the pocket. However, the tide turned quickly as Luana Santos finally dropped her to the canvas and transitioned to her back.
While Yana Santos punched over her shoulder and briefly escaped, she couldn't inflict considerable damage. Luana Santos rinsed and repeated the same strategy in the final round, threatening chokes from the back. And while Luana may not hold the striking edge, she definitely gained the most dominant position in the clash.
Yana Santos Focuses On Physical Recovery
The Russian entered the contest with an unusual optimism regarding her game. However, Yana Santos might not have been in her best physical form ahead of that clash.
The bantamweight had recently undergone double elbow surgery, removing over 40 bone fragments. However, Santos recovered just in time for her UFC Vegas 123 bout. Had she underestimated the threat Luana Santos posed? Only Foxy will ever know.
However, Yana Santos is not one to back away after a defeat. While it squashed her winning momentum, she still has years left inside the promotion. Ranked #6 in the women's bantamweight division, Santos will have plenty of high-ranked competitors to stay at the top of the division.
Norma Dumont, who's also coming off a frustrating decision loss to Ailin Perez, looks like the logical next step, giving both fighters a redemption storyline. However, it remains to be seen where Santos stops next after Vegas.
