Murilo Santana, a world renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, recently discussed the Junior Dos Santos vs Brock Lesnar bout with FighterMag. The São Paulo native succeeded in winning one of the most difficult categories of all times in the ADCC Trials Brazil 2009.
This particular bout, which is scheduled to headline UFC 131 on July, 11, 2011, is interesting for Santana because he has worked (and befriended) the jiu-jitsu coaches for both fighters, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros.
Santana had the following to say:
"I think the ground game will be the deciding factor in this fight. Brock will take Dos Santos down immediately and then we will see who has trained the hardest. Both have great coaches. Even though Comprido is more accomplished than Nogueira in Jiu-Jitsu, I don't think this will matter. It's about the student and their willingness to learn. I know Comprido very well and I know Brock Lesnar has a very strong Jiu-Jitsu game for MMA thanks to Comprido of course. Dos Santos also has very good hips and is hard to hold but in my honest opinion, I don't think it will be enough. A lot of people overlook the fight with Frank Mir who has very strong Jiu-Jitsu. I knew immediately that Comprido prepared Brock well for Frank. There are a lot of things that they did on the ground that most people who don't know Jiu-Jitsu cannot see. For example, the 'lockdown'. Frank tried to use the lockdown on Brock, but Brock shut it down perfectly. I'm sure this was something they prepared for. I know Robert Drysdale sat down with Frank after the fight and watched the tape. They went through every technique Brock used and what Frank should have done to counter or avoid it. It was perfect top control from the half guard. The reason he is adapting so well to Jiu-Jitsu is because of his wrestling background. If it wasn't for that, it would have taken him a long time to learn the stuff he has already learned in the four years he has been training Jiu-Jitsu. In the end, I trust Comprido and I know he has a surprise for Dos Santos. My prediction for the fight is if it stays standing, Dos Santos will take it. But once they go to the ground, that will be the moment where Dos Santos will lose. I have Brock winning by submission in the second round."Lesnar via submission?
That might sound crazy, but then again, Lesnar was recently able to choke out an "adrenaline-dumped" Shane Carwin at UFC 116.
Consider that in 13 fights, dos Santos has recorded just one true submission, defeating Eduardo Maiorino with a guillotine back in 2006. His lone loss during that span, meanwhile, came courtesy of a Joaquim Ferreira armbar.
Can Lesnar, with "Comprido" in his corner, really finish dos Santos with a submission or is a technical knockout/decision more likely
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