By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

To receive a low blow during a MMA fight is a bad thing, but it happens. When you are hit twice is awful, but the athlete takes a deep breath and move on. But, four knees in less than three minutes? That’s too much. That was exactly what went though Leonardo Santos’ mind when he had to “test” his protection against the Japanese Sotaro Yamada on Sengoku 14.

Back to Brazil, Leo had a funny chat with TATAME, commenting his win by declassification of his opponent and the suffering he went though on that octagon. “On the two firsts, I thought he was kicking the wrong place since I’m taller than him, but after the fourth I thought: “it’s not possible”, reminds Leo, comparing the knees to the uppers and knees given by his training partners Marlon Sandro and José Aldo: “I could be hit 10 times with an upper from Marlon, 30 times with José (Aldo)’s knee, but that thing was hurting a lot (laughs)”, jokes the fighter, who now sights the belt of his division. Click here to read the exclusive interview with the fighter.