What’s Next for Junior dos Santos After UFC 252?

After suffering a crushing defeat to Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik, what are the options available for Junior dos Santos? Can he become the heavyweight champion of the world? Or should he call it quits?

Before his fight with Rozenstruik, JDS was planning to win the title once again. The former champion wanted to reclaim the title and defend it before retiring.

“Every fight is important to win especially this one, I want to go back to my winning streak. Just stay there for a long time and get the belt again and defend it. That is my main goal right now to become the champion again. I have everything it takes and I believe I will become the champion again. It is just a matter of time,” JDS told BJPenn.com.

However, as we found out, Junior dos Santos’ dreams of becoming a champion again might have been shattered. The Brazilian fighter was brutally stopped in the second round by Rozenstruik. Unfortunately for JDS, it was his third TKO loss in a row.

Is it time for Junior dos Santos to hang up his gloves?

Santos has had a long career in the UFC. He defeated Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90 and went on a nine-fight win streak. He looked extremely dominant during this run and also won the heavyweight gold. But everything changed after he rematched Cain Velasquez. Many critics believe that the Velasquez rematch altered his career for good.

He entered murky waters after that fight. Although he racked up a three-fight win streak last year, JDS lost his next three against top contenders. Besides that, he is 36 years old and way past his athletic prime. Junior can give many contenders a run for their money. But it will be difficult for him to get through the top four.

MMA is a tough sport, and JDS has taken a lot of damage throughout his career. It might be the right time for him to retire. Yet it does not seem like he is ready to depart like this. Check out his statement after his loss to Rozenstruik.

“Hey you all, I’m still sitting here at my hotel room and thinking about the fight, of course. I would just like to thank all of you guys for your support, for your messages, for positive energy that you guys are always sending to me. It’s a very important part of the game, and I’m very happy to count with you guys, with your support. Thank you.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we were expecting, but I was feeling great. I was feeling ready to win. But fighting is like those surprise boxes, sometimes you get a negatively surprised by something. That’s what happened to me in the fight. I got caught, and my opponent tried to finish the fight.

“Now it’s time to wait for the dust to settle, and then think about the next step. Thank you.”

WATCH: Junior dos Santos Displays Sportsmanship After Getting Knocked Out By Jairzinho Rozenstruik

What do you think Junior dos Santos should do next?