Pros React to Thiago Santos and Jimi Manuwa Slugging It Out at UFC 231

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Staff
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Thiago Santos appeared at UFC 213 (shown here facing Nate Marquardt)
Thiago Santos Credit: Gleidson Venga/Sherdog.com

It was brutal, it was hard-hitting, fast-paced, and ended in a crushing finish. And when the dust settled, it was Thiago Santos with his second straight win at 205lbs at UFC 231.

Thiago Santos made his light heavyweight debut in September when he took on Eryk Anders in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo. Anders, who took the fight on six days notice, lasted three rounds with Santos, but succumbed to exhaustion (and some nasty elbows). At UFC 231 on Saturday, Santos was back in the octagon — this time with a true light heavyweight in Jimi Manuwa.

An opponent with a full camp. A ranked light heavyweight. And a very, very game foe. Yet still Thiago Santos came out on top, after a thrilling first round that looked like something out of a video game. Thiago Santos rocked Manuwa early, but couldn’t put ‘Poster Boy’ away that easily. The Brit battled back, and Santos may have punched himself out a little. Soon, he was rocked, and throwing everything and the kitchen sink, including desperation jumping kicks and spinning back fists, just to keep Manuwa at bay.

Santos finished the first round covering up, but in the second, he finished Manuwa. Lighting his opponent up against the fence, he finally sent him crumpling to the canvas. Statement made. 205lbs has a new contender among its ranks.

See the pros react to Santos’ big finish at UFC 231 below.