Sandro Wants Rematch with Curran, Plans on Knocking Out Straus in Featherweight Final at Bellator 68

Just one win away from a shot at then-featherweight champion Joe Warren, Sandro fell victim to a Pat Curran head kick in Bellator’s Summer Series featherweight final last August. Less than a year later, the Nova Uniao product is again just one victory away from a title opportunity as he locks horns with Daniel Straus at Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., on Friday night. Curran, the current 145-pound king, awaits the winner of the Bellator 68 matchup.

Sandro still hasn’t forgotten about his initial meeting with Bellator’s reigning featherweight titlist.

“Beating Daniel Straus and winning this tournament will mean everything to me because it means I get to have my revenge against Pat Curran,” Sandro recently told Sherdog.com.

The 35-year-old Brazilian has won three straight bouts since the defeat, besting Roberto Vargas and Alexandre Bezerra in the opening two rounds of the promotion’s Season 6 featherweight tournament. While Sandro was able to finish Vargas in typical violent fashion, his split-decision verdict over “Popo” was much less spectacular.

That said, the former featherweight King of Pancrase is confident he can put Straus to sleep.

“I absolutely believe in my heart that I have the power to knock Daniel Straus out. I just need to connect with the right shot,” Sandro said. “Fans should expect a complete war in this fight.”

Sandro is known for his brutal uppercut and numbing knockout power, but Straus has a different approach. A prototypical grinder, 12 of the Ohioan’s 19 career victories have gone the distance. He stayed true to form in his portion of the featherweight bracket, earning three-round nods over Jeremy Spoon and Mike Corey en route to his showdown with Sandro. Though Straus has lost just once in his last 16 appearances, Sandro is not in awe of the Team Vision representative.