Luana Santos has had 2027 circled on her calendar for nearly a decade.
Long before she ever stepped into the UFC, the Brazilian made a promise to herself, and to her first coach, that she’d become a UFC champion within 10 years. After dominating Karol Rosa at UFC Vegas 119 and breaking into the bantamweight top 10, Santos believes she’s right on schedule.
“My first coach, Dr. Helio’s, when we started working together way back in 2017 he told me that once you do something that you’re good at for 10 years, and you put a lot of effort into it, after 10 years you reach your peak,” Santos told reporters including Cageside Press at her post-fight scrum.
“That was 2017, and then I told him ok so I’m starting to train now, in 2027 I’m going to be the UFC champion. Here we are 9 years later, I’m in the UFC top 10, and the only thing in my mind is 2027 is the year I’m going to be the UFC champion.”
Santos never underestimated what Karol Rosa brought to the table. In fact, she admitted the matchup forced her to raise her game, knowing a win over a battle-tested veteran would answer one big question she had about herself.
“When my manager told me that I was going to fight Karol I was like damn that’s going to be a tough fight. I told him I’ll have to be on my best version everywhere. I have to do a great camp to be able to have a good performance against Karol,” she said.
“She’s a girl that has been with everyone, has beaten a lot of tough fighters. It’s so odd when you fight someone who has been there with the best and you don’t know if you are on her level. It was very good for me to come out there, test myself against someone that has faced some of the best fighters in the world. I can be a champion.”
Santos came into UFC Vegas 119 looking to make a statement, and she believes she did exactly that. By controlling Rosa from the moment the fight hit the mat, the Brazilian said she proved her grappling can overwhelm anyone standing across from her.
“This fight was going to be statement to the whole division,” said Santos.
“That my grappling, my Judo, my ground game, that I love to be a suffocating fighter on all of my fights. A lot of people say that when I get ahold of my opponent they will never be able to free themselves. To be able to do that with her just shows the entire division that I can do that to anyone.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Luana Santos above.
