Junior Dos Santos makes his long-awaited return to the cage as Most Valuable Promotions stacks their inaugural MMA event with an absolute belter of an undercard. The former UFC heavyweight champion leads a star-studded lineup supporting the Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano main event on May 16 at the Intuit Dome.
Junior Dos Santos Headlines Stacked UFC Veterans Undercard
“Cigano” hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since 2022, but the Brazilian powerhouse sounds hungrier than ever. “Fighting is my greatest motivation, the type of challenge that feeds my soul,” Dos Santos declared, setting up a mouthwatering clash with current Karate Combat heavyweight champion Robelis Despaigne.
This isn’t just any comeback story. Dos Santos captured UFC gold in 2011 by flattening Cain Velasquez, defended it once, then battled through the heavyweight elite for years. Sure, he hit a rough patch with five straight losses before his 2021 release, but “Cigano” bounced back brilliantly, going 2-0 in Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA.
Meanwhile, Despaigne brings serious heat after his UFC stint ended in 2024. The Cuban knockout artist immediately caught fire in Karate Combat, rattling off seven straight wins with six knockouts to claim heavyweight gold in December.
Championship Pedigree Defines Netflix Card
The undercard reads like a who’s who of elite combat sports. Former Bellator welterweight champion Jason Jackson squares off with seasoned veteran Lorenz Larkin, whilst KSW lightweight champion Salahdine Parnasse battles Kenneth Cross in what promises to be an absolute banger.
Perhaps most intriguingly, undefeated flyweight Muhammad Mokaev (16-0) gets his chance against three-time ONE flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes. The Dagestani destroyer looked destined for UFC title shots before his shocking July 2024 release, but he’s kept busy with three wins since then, including a knockout in Karate Combat.
Moraes brings legitimate pedigree as the inaugural ONE flyweight champion who famously knocked out Demetrious Johnson in 2021. However, consecutive losses to “Mighty Mouse” and a recent defeat to Yuya Wakamatsu ended his reign in 2025.
Additionally, the card features Aline Pereira, sister of two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira, facing Jade Masson-Wong at 130 pounds. Namo Fazil takes on Jake Babian at welterweight, David Mgoyan meets Albert Morales at featherweight, and Chris Avila returns against an opponent to be determined.
“This card delivers on MVP’s ethos of building the biggest and most global events in combat sports,” stated co-founders Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul. With Netflix streaming the spectacle live, this feels like the proper global stage these legends deserve.
