The CFL’s Jeff “Raptor” Santos brings mayhem to 125 lbs
by Gabe Charboneau on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 8:54pm
“Jurass-kick Park”
The CFL’s Jeff “Raptor” Santos brings mayhem to 125 lbs
By Colorado Fight League Publicity department
Up until a few years ago scientists were all but positive that dinosaurs were relegated to being small minded lumbering lizards, then in the early 90’s things began to change. While a highly controversial theory, most now agree that dinosaurs, particularly the nasty fleet footed raptor variety were extremely cunning, fast, explosive and when in packs one of the deadliest forces of the dinosaur age. Enter Jeff “Raptor” Santos who at age 28 is fast following in the footsteps of his dangerous namesake.
Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents Jeff’s family relocated him to Arizona at age 13 in search of a slower paced way of life. Always the “little guy” of the bunch, Jeff constantly found himself tested and picked on by those in school and at home by his older brother whom had a wrestling background. Says Santos when recalling his youth, “My brother would always get his friends and those around us to try and out wrestle or fight with me, to see who could make his scrawny brother “give up.” “The funny thing was, very few could until while at a friend’s party a fighter named Joe “The Show” Cronnin came along and gave me a beating.
This chance meeting while a humbling experience for Santos proved a turning point as “The Show” thought enough of Santo’s skill to invite him to train with Drew Fickett and Santino Defranco of TUF at their Arizona fight gym. Jeff’s first two pro fights were to invariably tough opponents including one who had been fighting in K1 for a time. As skill would have it however, The Raptor attack was on and he was victorious moving toward a 2-0 pro record within his first year of competition.
The Future
Constantly seeking self improvement, Jeff Santos has followed his training partner turned stable mate Pride Robinson to Colorado to train with longtime MMA Team PWIA and decorated grappling academy Roughhouse in Colorado Springs. “Everyone here has treated us like family,” states Jeff. “They put us in the fighter house and we pretty much went right to work doing 3 a days with the pro fighters here and doing individual sessions with Keith, Gabe and Donnie Liles I like the way the future is looking.” Colorado, which has always had a void in the way of 125 lb. fighters has grown by one more. Jeff Santos stands alongside Mikey Baldwin, Randall Shuckman, Josh Kissel, and Aaron Trujillo in saying make way for the little guys, we are here to stay.
-editor
The CFL’s Jeff “Raptor” Santos brings mayhem to 125 lbs
By Colorado Fight League Publicity department
Up until a few years ago scientists were all but positive that dinosaurs were relegated to being small minded lumbering lizards, then in the early 90’s things began to change. While a highly controversial theory, most now agree that dinosaurs, particularly the nasty fleet footed raptor variety were extremely cunning, fast, explosive and when in packs one of the deadliest forces of the dinosaur age. Enter Jeff “Raptor” Santos who at age 28 is fast following in the footsteps of his dangerous namesake.
Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents Jeff’s family relocated him to Arizona at age 13 in search of a slower paced way of life. Always the “little guy” of the bunch, Jeff constantly found himself tested and picked on by those in school and at home by his older brother whom had a wrestling background. Says Santos when recalling his youth, “My brother would always get his friends and those around us to try and out wrestle or fight with me, to see who could make his scrawny brother “give up.” “The funny thing was, very few could until while at a friend’s party a fighter named Joe “The Show” Cronnin came along and gave me a beating.
This chance meeting while a humbling experience for Santos proved a turning point as “The Show” thought enough of Santo’s skill to invite him to train with Drew Fickett and Santino Defranco of TUF at their Arizona fight gym. Jeff’s first two pro fights were to invariably tough opponents including one who had been fighting in K1 for a time. As skill would have it however, The Raptor attack was on and he was victorious moving toward a 2-0 pro record within his first year of competition.
The Future
Constantly seeking self improvement, Jeff Santos has followed his training partner turned stable mate Pride Robinson to Colorado to train with longtime MMA Team PWIA and decorated grappling academy Roughhouse in Colorado Springs. “Everyone here has treated us like family,” states Jeff. “They put us in the fighter house and we pretty much went right to work doing 3 a days with the pro fighters here and doing individual sessions with Keith, Gabe and Donnie Liles I like the way the future is looking.” Colorado, which has always had a void in the way of 125 lb. fighters has grown by one more. Jeff Santos stands alongside Mikey Baldwin, Randall Shuckman, Josh Kissel, and Aaron Trujillo in saying make way for the little guys, we are here to stay.
-editor
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