Jorden Ribeiro dos Santos achieved his dream despite the odds.
The Brazilian became one of five fighters to earn a UFC contract during Week 4 of Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night, defeating British prospect Will Curry on the road to a unanimous decision victory at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
“I was really happy. [Dana White’s] “He summed up my history,” Santos said. “I knew Curry was going to be a tough challenger. There’s a reason he was number one in the UK, but the fact that he was 4-1 underdogs fired me up.”
Santos has had a difficult life thus far in pursuing his goal of becoming a professional fighter.
“I left my mother’s house when I was 13.
[Belo Horizonte]I had no money and no place to sleep, so I lived in a pit bull kennel. My mom sent me about $10 a week to help me out. At first, I gave her biscuits and
[drink] “I quit drinking those artificial juice powders, but I made friends and found my way in mixed martial arts training.”
Jorden revealed that his goal was always to become a mixed martial artist and he has trained in all aspects of the sport since the beginning.
“I’m a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and have done well abroad in boxing, representing Brazil, but my goal has always been to compete in the UFC,” he said.
Santos currently trains in Brasilia with the UFC-affiliated Bonfim brothers.
“The Bonfim Brothers structure and the great trainers have been really important to me. I’ve grown a lot since I’ve been here,” he said.
When asked about his inspiration to reach higher levels, Santos is quick to point to his idols.
“Anderson Silva is my idol in MMA. He has always inspired me to be a complete fighter,” he said. “Fighting in his weight class at UFC is like a dream come true, but I know this is just the beginning of my path. I want to be a UFC champion and I will be.”
