"Fighting for an opportunity" - Thiago Santos draws similarities between Leon Edwards and Charles Oliveira's journeys to becoming UFC champions

UFC light heavyweight fighter Thiago Santos drew comparisons between the journeys of Leon Edwards and Charles Oliveira to championship glory. Santos said that similar to Oliveira, Edwards' claim to the title shot was brushed aside since he wasn't the most popular fighter on the roster.

At UFC 278, Leon Edwards shocked the world when he pulled off one of the greatest come-from-behind victories. His long and backbreaking road to the title culminated in a head-kick knockout of the former UFC pound-for-pound No.1, Kamaru Usman.

Thiago Santos sees parallels between Leon Edwards and Charles Oliveira's title conquests. Speaking alongside former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum on the Nem Me Viu podcast, Santos stated that Edwards' story is beautiful and inspiring:

''Edwards' story is beautiful man. The guy is coming from many wins in a row [ahead of UFC 278]. Just like Charles fighting for an opportunity [for lightweight championship]. But because he didn't have so much visibility and he wasn't so popular, he had to go down a much harder path to have an opportunity for the belt.'' [Translated by Brazilian MMA Legends]

He added that both fighters continued to believe in themselves even when the path was strenuous:

''He [Edwards] continued to believe even when everyone was disbelieving him. Until the end. He was losing the fight, Usman was dominating him. And right in the end he connected with that kick. Damn!'' [Translated by Brazilian MMA Legends]

Watch the video from the Nem Me Viu podcast below:

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Thiago Santos hails Kamaru Usman as a true champion for giving well-deserved credit to his rival Leon Edwards

Thiago Santos was impressed by Kamaru Usman's awareness of the unpredictable nature of MMA. Usman showcased true class when he gave Leon Edwards his proper credit while reflecting on his loss at UFC 278.

He posted a picture on Instagram which displayed a deep understanding of the fickle side of the sport.

Speaking about Usman's Instagram post during the same podcast episode, Thiago Santos lauded 'The Nigerian Nightmare' for the manner in which he has taken the loss:

''I saw a post from Usman, which he did right now. He posted a picture of when he beat Edwards and another one of now, losing the belt to Edwards. And it was conscious. A true conscious champion.''

Kamaru Usman is recovering from his loss and has expressed interest in a trilogy fight with Leon Edwards, potentially in London.