Luis Santos responds to criticism by Ben Askren, ONE boss Victor Cui

Luis Santos missed weight, and his ONE Championship welterweight title bout against Ben Askren was pulled off from Friday’s card in Singapore. The 170-pound champion made heavy accusations against "Sapo".

According to Askren, the Brazilian was seen eating for over an hour at the hotel before declining to hold his weight under 190 pounds to still fight him in a non-title bout, and went to a hospital to ask for an intravenous rehydration. Askren also said Santos contacted Titan FC officials asking to fight for the promotion after declining to face him twice earlier this year.

ONE Championship president Victor Cui is also not happy with Santos. When the fight was cancelled, Cui said "Sapo" pulled off "one of the most unprofessional things I have ever seen".

"Sapo", who defeated Bakhtiyar Abbasov in 53 seconds in his only fight under the ONE Championship banner, released a statement to MMAFighting.com to respond Askren’s allegations and Cui’s statement.

Man, I never said I wouldn’t fight him. I don’t know where this garbage took that from. I’m a well known fighter and it is normal that organizations come offering contracts. If he wants to see messages from Titan FC offering me a title fight, he will realize that he doesn’t know sh-t. I’ll fight him anytime. He’s hiding behind this accident that happened with me at the weigh-ins.

He’s saying that I went to the hospital, and I really did. I wanted to check on my health. I have the right to do that, and this garbage has nothing to do with it. He should dress like a man and have fought me because I was just a pound over.

He did a scandal, wanted me to cut more weight on the day of the fight. I didn’t accept his rules because he wanted me to weigh-in again five hours before the fight. This guy is afraid. He has a dozen fights and wanted to say I am scared? He doesn’t know shit.

Victor is like that, he’s explosive. He has two options, to release me or not. When this guy poked me in the eye on purpose, ONE didn’t do anything against him, and Victor even got upset that the fight was over. But I understand his side, I only didn’t accept (Askren’s) conditions. I can guarantee you this: he’s afraid and he used this as an excuse.