World Victory Road/ Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago officially has rejoined the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Officials from Authentic Sports Management, Santiago's management team, today announced the long-expected multi-fight contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Although not announced, as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, Santiago (23-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) fights former WEC champ Brian Stann (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at UFC 130 in May.
UFC 130 takes place May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The night's main card, including the Santiago vs. Stann bout, airs on pay-per-view.
Stann initially was slated to Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA 3-5 UFC) at the May 28 event, but Silva repeatedly has voiced a preference not to fight the fan favorite and military hero.
Santiago is the latest high-profile fighter to leave the Japanese MMA scene, where major promotions WVR and DREAM have announced no plans for 2011 shows.
"I had a great experience in Japan, but I am now really excited to fight again in the UFC and conquer more fighters in the U.S.," Santiago stated.
U.S. fans likely best remember Santiago for a three-fight stint under the UFC banner in 2006. The Brazilian defeated Justin Levens but then was bested by Chris Leben and Alan Belcher, which lead to his release.
Since that time, Santiago has racked up an impressive 11-1 record, which includes a 2007 single-night Strikeforce middleweight grand-prix championship via wins over Trevor Prangley and Sean Salmon. Santiago's current win streak also includes two memorable World Victory Road/Sengoku wins over Kazuo Misaki, as well as victories over MMA notables Siyar Bahadurzada, Logan Clark, Jeremy Horn, Mamed Khalidov, Kazuhiro Nakamura and Andrei Semenov, among others.
Stann, meanwhile, has won four of his past five fights, including a recent TKO victory over surging Leben. The former WEC light-heavyweight champ recently has stepped up his game under the tutelage of famed trainer Greg Jackson and his stable of fighters. His recent wins have come over the likes of light heavyweights Steve Cantwell and Rodney Wallace, and after a drop to middleweight, over Mike Massenzio. The lone defeat during his recent stretch came via decision to fast-rising Phil Davis.
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