Leandro Higo Describes Issues That Cost Him Title Shot At Bellator 177

Former Legacy Fighting Alliance Bantamweight Champion Leandro Higo lost a decision to Bellator MMA Bantamweight Champion Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 177.

The fight was supposed to be a title bout until Higo missed weight for the encounter, which the fighter blamed on timing issues.

“When I arrived for fight week, everything was very different,” Higo recalled to MMA Junkie. “The timezone, the sauna closed 7:30 at night. I’d never seen that. When I started training, I had to leave. I couldn’t dehydrate because the sauna was closed. It wore on me. Everything I was used to doing, I had to do double. If I was used to one hour in the sauna, I had to do two. Because my body was retaining the weight, I was sweating less than I’m used to.”

Higo will get another shot to compete in the promotion, but his next fight has yet to be announced.

Although he came up short against Dantas, the former LFA champ says it was still a close bout in the end.

“It was a very close fight,” Higo said. “I liked my performance. I was even a little upset. I mean, I don’t fuss too much over this because I know my potential, and I know I can fight anyone. But people on the internet were saying that I just fell into it, that I didn’t deserve to fight for the belt. Maybe it was a little precocious to fight for the belt, but no one wanted to fight ‘Dudu,’ and others were injured. I had the opportunity, I took the fight, and I showed everyone that I’m at a good level. I fought the champion and had a tough fight, when better ranked guys didn’t have such an even fight with him. The result didn’t come, but I’m going after this belt.”

Since the bout against Dantas, the LFA has stripped Higo of the belt, a new champion will get crowned by the end of the year.