‘Big Monster’ Desires ‘Heavyweight Fight of the Year’

Thiago Santos has secured half of his victories by submission. | Photo: Keith Mills

Santos will enter his showdown with Eric Prindle in the Season 5 heavyweight tournament final on Saturday at Bellator 59 on a four-fight winning streak. There, at the Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., the man they call the “Big Monster” will find himself within reach of a six-figure paycheck and a shot at reigning Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad. His aspirations seem as big as his massive frame.

“I want this fight to be the best heavyweight fight of the year,” Santos said. “I fight for the fans, and I want them to remember this fight for many years to come.”

Santos is an unlikely finalist, considering he did not compete in the first round of the tournament. When Mike Hayes had to bow out of the draw due to a fractured orbital bone, Bellator officials picked up the phone and dialed the Brazilian. Santos had a history of success in tournaments. A jiu-jitsu practitioner by trade, he cut his teeth brawling in Rio de Janeiro’s underground Rio Heroes league, winning the vale tudo promotion’s one-night heavyweight grand prix in 2007 with a trio of finishes.

Grove was first on the list, and Santos made quick work of him. After a brief clinch, the two heavyweights separated. Santos floored the UFC veteran with a devastating looping right hand, following up with a barrage of punches. Grove surrendered his back, and Santos cinched the choke, minus the hooks, for the finish. All told, it took 38 seconds.

“I was not surprised at all when I knocked Grove down early in the first round. I believe in my punching power,” Santos said. “Going into that fight, my original plan was to knock him out. When I saw Grove fall to the canvas after I hit him, my only thought was to finish the fight as soon as possible. I wanted to knock him out, but he gave me his neck so I took it.

“Every time I step inside that cage my goal is to finish my fights as soon as possible,” he added. “The fans want to see a fight with action, and I fight for my fans.”

Santos faces a formidable foe in Prindle. One of the sport’s more physically intimidating heavyweights, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Arizonan has rattled off seven consecutive victories. His 40-second knockout over the previously unbeaten Ron Sparks at Bellator 56 launched him into the final. Prindle has finished four different opponents in less than a minute.

“Eric looks really strong, and he’s a very good boxer with a lot of punching power. There’s no doubt about it; he really is a very dangerous opponent for me,” Santos said. “I don’t think a lot of people gave Eric the credit he deserved going into this tournament. I don’t think many thought he was going to make it to the finals, but I always knew he was a dangerous fighter.

“I’m ready for anything in this fight,” he added. “If I finish Eric in the first minute of the first round, that’s great, but I’ve prepared myself for a three-round war.”

Santos likes the fight wherever it transpires, but he sees a particular advantage on the ground.

“I’m a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and the ground is my world. I know if this fight with Eric goes to the ground, I’m going to have the advantage,” he said. “I’m not going to lie: I am concerned with Eric’s punching power. He has explosive punches, but I have knockout power in my hands, as well, so he needs to be just as careful.”

Konrad awaits the winner. The 27-year-old Appleton, Wis., native was a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota, where he compiled a 155-13 record and closed out his collegiate career with 76 consecutive victories. Nicknamed “The Polar Bear,” Konrad has made a seamless transition to mixed martial arts, having compiled a perfect 8-0 mark since his January 2010 professional debut. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound behemoth roared through Bellator’s Season 3 heavyweight tournament, with successive victories over Rogent Lloret, Damian Grabowski and Grove. Though Konrad has yet to defend the championship he won in the tournament, he appeared in a non-title matchup with the seasoned Paul Buentello at Belltor 48 in August. He excelled in that role, as well, and surprised virtually everyone by outstriking the former UFC heavyweight contender en route to a unanimous decision.

Santos, at least publicly, has only concerned himself with Prindle.

“Right now, I’m not even thinking about Konrad,” he said. “I’m 100 percent focused on this fight with Eric. I can’t take Eric lightly for one second.”