Taking on experienced UFC heavyweight Chase Sherman Saturday night at UFC Sao Paulo, Sakai went for a brawl for three rounds before he got the stoppage victory in the final minute.
Very emotional in his post-fight interview with the media at the Ibirapuera gymnasium, Sakai was worried about a hand fracture he may have suffered early in the fight, and thinks that ended up preventing him from finishing Sherman earlier.
“Since I had this injury in the beginning, I wasn’t hitting him with full power,” Sakai said of Sherman’s ability to absorb damage and continue moving forward.