Mairon Santos won a controversial decision against Francis Marshall at UFC 313, initially believing he deserved the victory but later conceding that the fight was closer than he thought and acknowledging Marshall might have won, though he accepted the win bonus, especially important with a newborn at home.
Mairon Santos emerged victorious after a 15-minute battle with Francis Marshall at UFC 313, but the decision sparked cries of “robbery” on social media. Initially, Santos was confident in his win, dismissing the judges’ knowledge with a blunt, “don’t know sh*t, I won the fight.” Yet, after watching the fight again, he had a change of heart.
Reflecting on the bout, Santos admitted to MMA Fighting that it’s tough to gauge scoring when you’re both dishing out and taking punches. He confessed he would’ve felt robbed if Marshall had been declared the winner. “I watched the fight,” Santos noted, “and saw it was closer [than I felt], even on the feet.”
Though he believed he had clearly won at first, Santos acknowledged that takedowns tipped the scales. “When the fight was over,” he said, “I felt I clearly won, but that wasn’t the truth.” Despite the judges’ decision in his favor, he’s treating it as a learning experience—a loss in victory.
Coming off a knockout win over Kaan Ofli in August 2024, Santos entered UFC 313 with perhaps too much confidence. He shared, “I thought I would go there and he would feel the first punch I landed could end the fight.” However, Marshall absorbed his strikes well, including numerous leg kicks.
Santos expressed dissatisfaction with his performance: “I know I can fight a lot better than that.” His focus now? Returning to the gym to improve for future bouts. Though open to a rematch, he doubts it will happen given the lack of high stakes or popularity surrounding their clash.
Despite mixed feelings about how the fight ended, Santos received his win bonus—crucial for supporting his newborn at home. “Deep in there,” he mused, “I didn’t want it to be like that… But that’s what happened.” Life goes on; lessons learned.