The former heavyweight champion doesn’t just want the gold back, but would like a longer reign the second time around.
“For me, it’s very important,” Dos Santos said to MMA Junkie. “Not just to become the champion, to live that amazing moment to become the champion. But also, to make sure that everything that happened in the past were mistakes. I have everything that it takes to be the champion and to stay there for a long time. All these guys, they’re not better than me. They are tough guys, I respect all of them, but I’m here to be the champion, and I have everything it takes to be the champion. Being the champion again will show everybody that what happened in the past was just a mistake. It was just a lack of attention of myself. The only way I feel like you get beat is not being in the right time to do the things, the right time mentally and physically. I think that’s what happened in the past, and I make sure that everything’s going to be all right now.”
Dos Santos’ first reign as UFC Heavyweight Champion started at UFC On Fox 1 in November of 2011 and ended at UFC 155 in December of 2012.
A surging Dos Santos’ last win came over an injured Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night Wichita, but JDS didn’t think Lewis looked injured during their encounter.
“Actually, man, he was looking like a gazelle. He was jumping everywhere,” Dos Santos said. “It’s a very strange thing to say but, man, good that he did the surgery and I hope everything goes well, because everybody likes to watch him fight. He’s a tough dude, strong man. And let’s move forward.”
UFC 239 takes place on Saturday, July 6 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jon Jones and Thiago Santos headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
