Gabriel Santos, Fulfilling the Promise

Gabriel Santos’ run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship thus far has been a tale of strong showings in nearly impossible circumstances.

Beginning with his Octagon debut nearly two years ago in March of 2023, when the then 26-year-old stepped up on short notice against the undefeated Lerone Murphy and not only held his own, but deserved to win in the eyes of many observers, “Mosquitinho” has shown skills and resilience that belie his 1-2 mark with the promotion. Three months after the Murphy fight, Santos was thrown right back in against another highly regarded featherweight, David Onama. Once again, he demonstrated his talent despite coming up short in the end, this time by winning the first round and most of the second before running into a blistering knee and uppercut that set up his first-ever knockout loss.

It would be over a year before Santos returned to action, due to an injury that forced him out of a scheduled tilt with Westin Wilson last January. Thanks to that forced hiatus, it would not be until UFC Fight Night 242 last September, nearly a year and a half into his UFC career, that Santos would finally notch his first win with the promotion, sweeping all three rounds against Zha Yi.

With that pesky zero gone from the “W” column, the former Legacy Fighting Alliance standout can focus on proving he belongs in the featherweight contenders’ discussion. That begins on Saturday at UFC 312 in Sydney, where Santos is set to face native Aussie Jack Jenkins in what is likely to be a hostile Qudos Bank Arena.

In a pair of conversations with Sherdog—one ahead of the canceled Wilson fight, the other in recent weeks as he has prepared for Jenkins—the 28-year-old from Fortaleza, Ceara in northeastern Brazil talked about lessons learned through adversity, his preparation for this fight and his plans for the rest of 2025. Despite the luxury of a full camp for the Jenkins fight, Santos maintains that his chief concern is his skills rather than those of his opponent.

“I study my opponents, but I primarily focus on what I do,” he said. “My goal is to show up, execute my game, and have a great performance. I’ll have a war. And in the end, my arm will be raised, whether by scores, submission or knockout. I focus on my own weapons. Of course, we did study him, but anything can happen inside the cage.”

That does not imply that Santos is cavalier about his preparation. In the lead-up to his latest assignment, he has branched out, leaving his customary confines at Brazilian TKO in the capital city and spending his camp at Chute Boxe Diego Lima, one of the strongest gyms in the sport over the last several years. While he surely benefits from a deep roster of top contenders and former champions in the lighter weight divisions including Charles Oliveira and Allan Nascimento, Santos claims there is no secret sauce; only the eternal grind.

“The main thing is to train every day and remain focused,” Santos said. “[Chute Boxe Diego Lima] is an amazing team. There are no tricks up our sleeve. The true magic comes from working hard every day. That includes nutrition, rest, recovery, and training sessions. We’re focused and happy.”

Just one fight removed from a year-plus injury layoff, it is fair to ask whether Santos’ durability will be a concern in the long term, but he dismisses it as just another part of a rough, physical business.

“Ours is a combat sport,” he explained, “so it’s impossible to train without some sort of injury. These things happen. Some injuries still allow you to fight, and others don’t. It happened. We kept moving on. Happily, I had a win last time around. It was a great fight and performance. That’s why I train every day – to have great performances. The main thing is to have my arm raised. Victory – victory always.?

As he pursues his next victory, which would even up his Octagon tally and bring him a step closer to fulfilling the promise of his eye-opening debut, Santos sums up his faith, goals and motivations in one simple, succinct mission statement.

“My future is in God’s hands,” he said. “But I’ll do my part, which is to come to the academy every day and put in hard work. And now I’ll be a father. So, the goal is to be a better father, husband, and athlete. The plan is to get to the Top 15, then the Top 10, then the Top 5. But I live in the here and now, cherishing each moment.

“Hopefully people can find inspiration in my work,” he concluded. “I’d like to be a good example by being someone who works hard to overcome obstacles, is resilient, and has an unshakable faith.”