Antonio Carlos Junior explains why he’s ‘relieved’ with UFC start

The Final Fighter: Brazil season 3 heavyweight winner Antonio Carlos Junior was once let whisk by the promotion after shedding his third in a row in January, shedding a dedication Brad Tavares in Abu Dhabi, nonetheless he chooses to discover it as a blessing in hide.

“Cara de Sapato” grew to change into the TUF heavyweight winner in 2014 and at one point of his occupation had a five-battle middleweight winning proceed that incorporated four rear-bare choke finishes and a dedication diagram close over Marvin Vettori. On the opposite hand, three straight defeats to Ian Heinisch, Uriah Hall and Tavares cost his job.

“One door closes and rather a diffusion of doorways start. This is how it’s miles,” Junior mentioned in an interview with MMA Combating. “We by no diagram know what can happen. I knew that being let whisk by the UFC was once a possibility nonetheless I wasn’t overthinking it. I was once looking at for an answer and their answer came.

“You win upset first and foremost, you had that non-public goal you wished to achieve. I went there for the gold nonetheless it unquestionably’s no longer most reasonable as a lot as us. I wished to beat that [title], I wished to head away as champion, nonetheless then I started seeing there are a diffusion of opportunities exterior, so in a approach I felt a dinky extra free because of the the negotiations and sponsorships.

“My supervisor and I are discussing a few recommendations… Genuinely, I’m even feeling a dinky extra free, a dinky extra relieved truly. This commerce will likely be proper for me in a approach, both professionally and financially. I feel this may perchance perchance make certain. The UFC was once good for me for some time nonetheless I feel it was once time for a commerce and we’ll look what comes subsequent.”

The relief, Junior mentioned, comes after feeling the firm wasn’t entirely chuffed along with his products and services.

“In business, we would prefer to be chuffed with what we have got, and I felt for some time that they weren’t overjoyed,” Junior mentioned. “I feel the UFC desires a diffusion of fighter that isn’t who I’m. I’m no longer the form of guy that talks too mighty, so I felt they were sad, and that makes me sad, too. Other areas may perchance perchance also want what suits greater with who I’m.”

Junior, who level-headed had one bout left in his contract with the UFC, mentioned he’s currently in negotiations with rather a diffusion of promotions and can mediate the supreme course for his occupation.

The jiu-jitsu specialist will have some day without work after sustaining a trio left leg accidents for the length of his 15-minute battle with Tavares, a fibula atomize, plus meniscus and posterior cruciate ligament accidents. “Cara de Sapato” injured the identical knee in 2020, present process surgical procedure to repair an ACL proceed, nonetheless received’t have to head below the knife this time.

Junior has handled many correctly being complications over the last three years, sidelined after hurting his pectoral, toe and knee in separate instances, nonetheless is assured he’ll soar relief later this year.

Genuinely, the Brazilian middleweight thinks his conflict with Tavares may perchance perchance also have long gone both approach, disagreeing with both judges that scored it 30-27 in desire of his opponent — and level-headed defends he deserved the diagram close over Uriah Hall in 2019.

The dilapidated Final Fighter heavyweight will continue as a middleweight going forward though “I’m small for gentle heavyweight and colossal for middleweight,” pointing at an inexistent 195-pound weight class because the very supreme home for him in MMA.

Out of the enviornment’s premiere MMA group now, “Cara de Sapato” expects a worthwhile destination in 2021, especially after the “Reebok Generation” carve a few of warring parties’ “freedom” to pursue proper sponsorship deals.

“I enact think it may perchance also merely also be a colossal and wander step for my monetary life,” he mentioned. “Many warring parties are sad with their purses in the UFC and and plenty others. Worship I mentioned, the UFC was once proper to me for some time, nonetheless I feel it’s time for a commerce.”