Junior Dos Santos set to make pro wrestling debut with Jorge Masvidal in corner

Junior Dos Santos is making the move from the octagon to the ring – at least for now.

Dos Santos, 37, is the former UFC heavyweight champion of the world. To win the title in 2011, he scored a quick 64-second knockout against Cain Velasquez. Ten years later and just like his rival, “Cigano” will follow Velasquez’s footsteps in trying his hand at pro wrestling.

#DanLambert throws down the gauntlet to #TheInnerCircle for next week in Miami – @IAmJericho/@RealJakeHager/@sammyguevara vs @ScorpioSky/@OfficialEGO/@junior_cigano w/ Jorge Masvidal (@GamebredFighter) in their corner!

Watch the #AEWDynamite 2 Year Anniversary Show LIVE on TNT! pic.twitter.com/403RH8cUQG

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 7, 2021

Over the past so many months, American Top Team owner Dan Lambert, along with several MMA fighters training out of the gym, have been invading All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite on Wednesday nights – Junior Dos Santos included.

In this last episode, Lambert announced that next week in Miami on Friday night’s AEW: Rampage, there will be a six-man tag team match between AEW’s Inner Circle and Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky, and the debuting Dos Santos.

Top UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal will also make his presence felt as he will accompany “JDS'” team to the ring where he’ll stand at ringside. This won’t be “Gamebred’s” first appearance in AEW.

Masvidal doing his thing to Jericho in AEW Rampage 😭 pic.twitter.com/jUCyqfMl5h

— ABHI 💎 (@stargazer109) September 25, 2021

Junior Dos Santos (21-9) was released from the UFC following his last loss in December. Taking on the now interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, Dos Santos suffered his fourth straight TKO defeat.

In the time since then, the Brazilian has expressed interest in potentially getting into boxing as well as joining the Bellator roster for a dream matchup with Fedor Emelianenko. Unfortunately for Dos Santos and everyone else in the Emelianenko sweepstakes, Tim Johnson wound up getting the call for the Bellator debut in Russia on Oct. 23.

As for Masvidal, the Baddest Motherf*cker titleholder is expected to be lining up an old grudge match with Leon Edwards – while simultaneously running his own bare-knuckle MMA promotion, Gamebred FC.