Gabriel Almada 
Bantamweight Jackson “Samurai” Santa Cruz got a dominant victory last weekend at the United Fight League event. The Brazilian imposed his high-level Jiu-Jitsu and defeated Steven Chang by unanimous decision (triple 30-27). The BJJ black belt handed Chang his first defeat in five professional MMA fights. Jackson now has a record of seven wins and four losses.
Jackson specializes in grappling and has a pressure game. He was developed by Professor Jair Lourenço and currently trains with the Fight Ready team in Arizona.
Jackson Samurai spoke to the VF Comunica team and described the feeling of returning to the win column.
VF COMUNICA: What does this victory mean for your career?
JACKSON SAMURAI: I got a very important victory against an undefeated athlete. I needed to win, my goal now is to build a winning streak.
What went through your mind when you had your hand raised?
I trained hard for this fight, I did everything that was in my control, from training to nutrition to recovery practices. I was focused on delivering a great performance. And at that moment I saw that all the hard work had paid off.
What points do you think have evolved the most compared to your previous fights?
I think I’ve improved my patience and my fight IQ. I was able to control the pace well during the fight.
What are the biggest challenges of adapting BJJ to MMA?
Forgetting the scores of competitive BJJ and using it to control, apply ground and pound and finish. The mentality needs to be geared towards generating damage and not just wanting to pass the opponent’s guard.
How important has it been for you to stay more active at events?
We only develop fighting rhythm when we fight. You have to be active to have a fighting rhythm.
Do you have any opponents in mind?
I don’t have any opponents in mind, I want to train harder and harder and be prepared for any challenge.
