Thiago Santos Departs UFC, Signs With PFL Ahead of 2023 Season

The Professional Fighters League has scooped a big name for next year’s tournament season.

In a surprise announcement on Thursday, ESPN broke the news that former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Thiago Santos (22-11) is no longer under contract with the UFC. He has signed with the PFL, where he plans on competing in its 205-pound division starting in 2023. Per ESPN, in interviews with PFL president Ray Sefo and Santos’ manager Alex Davis, Santos’ contract had not ended, but the UFC allowed for his release. The organization celebrated his signing on social media shortly after the story came out.

“It was an amicable separation with the UFC,” Davis explained to ESPN. “Thiago is very grateful for everything the UFC did for him, and he’s very grateful toward the PFL for signing with him. He’s looking forward to winning a million dollars.”

The Rio de Janeiro native has struggled as of late, falling short by razor-close split decision to champ Jon Jones in 2019 and sliding downhill after that. A submission defeat to future champ Glover Teixeira and a lackluster decision setback strung his skid to a career-long three, straight, and he rebounded by winning a five-round verdict over Johnny Walker in 2021. A pair of deflating losses to Magomed Ankalaev and Jamahal Hill in 2022 – in the latter, “Marreta” succumbed to strikes around the midpoint of Round 4. Despite only winning once in his last six outings, Santos still carries a reputation as a vaunted striker that only needs one shot to turn the tables or get his hand raised.

Sefo was thrilled at his company’s new acquisition, saying, “We are very excited to bring in Thiago Santos to the PFL light heavyweight division. He is known throughout the MMA world as a guy who delivers exciting fights, and I’m looking forward to seeing his elite knockout power up close.”

Two of the company’s three 205-pound champions have come from the UFC ranks. The inaugural season saw Sean O'Connell shock heavy favorite Vinny Magalhaes to win the belt, while in 2021, Antonio Carlos Jr. largely steamrolled his opposition to claim the $1 million check. The 2019 bracket did feature ex-UFC talent Jordan Johnson in the finals, and he came up short against Emiliano Sordi. The current finals of the PFL light heavyweight tourney consists of two former UFC fighters in Rob Wilkinson and Omari Akhmedov.