In the years between his two UFC runs, Santiago established himself as one of the top Middleweights in the world outside of the UFC, putting together a solid 11-1 record. His major success came in Japan, where he claimed the Sengoku Middleweight championship and turned some heads with a pair of classic fights against Kazuo Misaki. His work in Japan earned him a lot of respect, and many fans were excited about his return to the UFC.
At 1-4 in his combined UFC runs, and at nearly 10 years into his pro career, it's hard to envision Santiago making his way back into the UFC in the future. Although the Maia fight was a bit lackluster, Santiago still has the ability to put on very entertaining fights. With Bellator looking to build up champion Hector Lombard, Santiago would make a fine challenger. The two men are former training partners at American Top Team.
Source: Tatame.com