Djorden Santos’s 2024 entry into the UFC, culminating in a debut on a Las Vegas pay-per-view card, marks an improbable chapter in his life. Ahead of his middleweight fight against Ozzy Diaz, his past reveals a stark contrast to his present.
Born in Belo Horizonte, Santos spent his early childhood in Trindade, near Goiania. His upbringing was typical for a child of modest means, but his teenage years took a turn towards the wrong crowd. As a Goias Esporte Clube supporter, Santos’ involvement went beyond just watching games.
“Stadiums and soccer firms captivated me,” Santos recounted. “It wasn’t just the aggression, but the thrill of cheering, jumping, celebrating victories. The rivalries and conflicts between local firms became an addictive part of it.”
By 13, Santos gained notoriety among hooligans for his willingness to engage in fights.
“My mother was deeply troubled by it,” Santos shared. “She suffered seeing me smoking, drinking, and engaging in risky behaviors. The hooligan scene in Goias is intense, and witnessing severe consequences and loss of life led me to reconsider this path that caused my mom so much pain.”
Santos found a turning point in martial arts. It transformed him from a “fat kid” into someone channeling his aggression positively. Adopting the nickname “Maguila,” after a famous Brazilian boxer, Santos embraced his new passion.
“Martial arts was a divine gift,” Santos reflected. “I shudder to think where I’d be otherwise. I escaped the dangers of the firms and streets, redirecting my aggression into martial arts.”
Seeking serious training in a larger city, Santos discovered Belo Horizonte’s Full House gym online.
“In high school, I announced my move to Belo Horizonte to my mom, who initially laughed,” Santos remembered. “But upon my persistence and promise of good grades, she supported my decision.”
With his mother’s blessing and a bus ticket, Santos, accompanied by his brother, ventured to Belo Horizonte to pursue his fighting dreams.
Life was challenging for the 14-year-old, far from home and family, chasing a career in combat sports.
“I lived in a dog kennel at a friend’s place,” Santos described. “It was a caretaker’s shack, far from the gym, in a favela, filled with unpleasant smells and constant exposure to violence. It was a very tough and lonely time.”
“Gym life was equally harsh. Being young and surrounded by UFC-caliber fighters meant constant sparring beatdowns. Nightmares and hallucinations of endless bicycle rides to the gym became common.”
A compassionate friend offered Santos a closer place to stay, enabling him to focus on his training. After three amateur wins in 2014 and a professional victory, Santos returned to Trindade.
“Surviving on $10 a week from my mom and living as a houseguest was humbling,” Santos admitted. “Facing adulthood in that situation, I considered quitting fighting, but my passion was too strong.”
Searching for local gyms, Santos found Constrictor Team, renowned for producing UFC talents like Paulo Thiago and Renato Moicano. He joined, but initially could only afford two weeks of rent, planning to find work.
Moicano, from Constrictor Team and recently opened his own gym in Brasilia, offered Santos a cleaning job. Santos, now 5-0 professionally, relocated to Brasilia to train full-time with Moicano.
In 2019, an international debut opportunity arose at Titan FC 52 against Christian Torres. However, the lead-up was fraught with challenges. Poor training conditions and a drastic 38-pound weight cut in 40 days, coupled with a side job and borrowed flight money, made it incredibly difficult.
A loss by decision brought harsh lessons and mounting debt. Santos found himself homeless and broke.
“I was ready to return home and quit again, but a friend offered me a place to stay,” Santos said. “I started food delivery, working all day and training at night, just to survive and repay debts. Losing everything – fight, money, team, home – felt devastating. I wanted to give up.”
Santos quit fighting, again. Sporadic training continued, but his career aspirations faded.
A UFC Fight Night in Brasilia changed everything. Charles Oliveira headlined against Kevin Lee, and Santos’s friend Moicano was on the card. Visiting the UFC hotel reignited Santos’s ambition. Moicano provided tickets, but the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the event to fans.
“I was crushed,” Santos recalled. “Whenever something good seems possible, something bad happens. I couldn’t even attend the UFC as a spectator.”
This time, heartbreak fueled his resolve. Despite being significantly overweight at 265 pounds, he trusted his manager to guide his comeback. Two heavyweight wins in 2021 and a return to middleweight in 2022, culminating in a Thunder Fight belt, earned him a shot at Dana White’s Contender Series.
“Today, we see the results of that perseverance,” Santos stated, having cut 77 pounds for his DWCS victory over Will Currie. “Making my UFC debut almost a decade after my MMA start fills me with pride. The journey was incredibly tough and improbable, but I always believed. I’ve overcome odds before, and I will again. I have work to do, a mountain to climb, and I’m just beginning.”
