Even so, he made it clear that it could take time to heal — certainly

PHOENIX - Junior Dos Santos is facing much more than a daunting challenge from Stipe Miocic when he returns to the octagon. Jerseys For Sale .The former UFC heavyweight champion realizes he must revive his career after two losses to Cain Velasquez, who took his belt in 2012 and defended it in 2013.To have any chance for another shot at the title, Dos Santos (16-3) must put together another string of victories, starting in the main event of Saturdays show in Phoenix.Every athlete in the UFC, they want to fight for the title, Dos Santos said. Im not different. No matter what happen, with Velasquez, I won the first one (fight with Velasquez) then lost the next ones. I really believe I can be the champion again. I really believe if I put my mind in the right place, if I train hard and if I have a good support by my side, I can be the champion again and I can stay there for a long time.Dos Santos hasnt been in the octagon since his second loss to Velasquez 14 months ago — mostly because of a hand injury.Dos Santos said his hands, which have earned him 12 career stoppage victories with outstanding boxing skills, are more than 100 per cent. But in order to get another shot at Velasquez, Dos Santos wants to become a well-rounded fighter who can handle any heavyweights challenges.Im really confident with my boxing skills, he said. But I have jiu-jitsu. I have wrestling. I have muay thai. Why dont I use that too much with my fights? I want to be confident. I want to learn how to be confident to use those things in my fight. If my boxing is not working that well, then lets do jiu-jitsu. You know? Try to find some holes in my opponent.Dos Santos and Miocic (12-1) are headlining a heavyweight-stacked card for the UFCs first live show in Arizona.Struggling contender Alistair Overeem (37-14) is taking on 7-footer Stefan Struve (29-6), who hasnt fought since March 2013 after getting treatment for a heart condition. Heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Mitrione also meet on the Fox show, while popular lightweight Nate Diaz came in five pounds heavy for his bout with Rafael Dos Anjos at Fridays weigh-in.Although Dos Santos place among the worlds best heavyweights isnt in doubt, Miocic hopes to join him with an upset victory. The part-time firefighter and paramedic from Cleveland who has won three straight fights expects the best Junior weve seen.Hes been a champion of the world, Miocic said. Itll be a great fight. I hope everyone knows my name (after I win).The winner of Saturdays main event will be in the mix for a title shot in 2015, whether the belt-holder is Velasquez or interim champ Fabricio Werdum. When Velasquez was forced to pull out of his defence in Mexico City in October due to a knee injury, Werdum stopped Mark Hunt and took the interim title.To get a shot at either title belt, Dos Santos knows he must best Miocic with conviction.I do think I need to do something impressive on Saturday night, he said. I want to show that Im still here and Im a top fighter. Discount Jerseys For Sale . The Force had two men, including former Wallabies No. 8 Ben McCalman, in the sin-bin in the dying minutes of the match, but were able to resist a late Highlanders surge to post a four-try, bonus point win. Stitched Jerseys For Sale . The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. https://www.jerseysforsalechina.com/ .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Tiger Woods helped attract a record, raucous crowd to the Phoenix Open on Thursday, the first big event in a week that concludes with the Super Bowl.They didnt see much of a game — at least not from Woods.In his first appearance at the TPC Scottsdale in 14 years — and only his second tournament in six months — Woods couldnt hit the green with three chip shots and was near the bottom of the leaderboard until two key shots on the back nine salvaged a 2-over 73.It was the first time in his career that Woods shot over par in his first round of the year. And he already was nine shots behind Ryan Palmer, who opened with a 7-under 64 to build a one-shot lead when play was suspended by darkness.This is my second tournament in six months, so I just need tournament rounds like this where I can fight through it, turn it around, grind through it and make adjustments on the fly, Woods said.He was 5 over through 11 holes when Woods hit a 5-iron to a foot for a tap-in eagle on the 13th hole. After making it through the par-3 16th hole, where he twice had to back off shots when someone shouted as he stood over the ball, he hit his best drive of the day that bounded onto the green at the par-4 17th and set up a two-putt birdie.The fans didnt seem to mind. They were happy to see golfs biggest star at their outdoor party for the first time since 2001, back when Woods was No. 1 in the world and headed for an unprecedented sweep of the majors.The attendance was 118,461 — more than the Super Bowl will get on Sunday — and broke the Thursday record at the Phoenix Open by just over 30,000.What they saw was a player who suddenly has developed grave issues with his short game — particularly his chipping.Woods is working with a new swing consultant, Chris Como, who is not in Phoenix this week. He still has trouble taking his game from the practice range to the golf course, which is nothing new. But when he last played, at the Hero World Challenge, what stood out was a series of chips that he either stubbed or bladed.Two months later, nothing changed.The focus on Woods quickly shifted from a chipped tooth to simply his chipping.Woods twice chipped with 4-irons, which he called my old-school shots from Augusta. On two other occasions, one after a chip he knocked across and over the green, he opted for a putter. It wasnt a bad play, but it used to be rare to see Woods choose to putt from the fairway instead of chip.He attributed it to the change in his swing.Im just having a hard time finding the bottom, Woods ssaid. Jerseys For Sale Outlet. Because of my old pattern, I was so steep on it that I have a new grind on my wedge and sometimes its hard to trust. Some of my shots were into the green with tight pins and either Ill flop it or bump it, one of the two. I chose to bump it.Palmer was 10-under par through 10 holes last week in the Humana Challenge and settled for a 61. He was 7 under through 12 holes on Thursday and then closed with six straight pars for a 64.That gave him a one-shot lead over Keegan Bradley, who made seven birdies in the morning, and Masters champion Bubba Watson, whose tee shot on the 17th hole rolled a few inches from the cup and settled 4 feet away.Woods was in the group ahead of him, and its customary for players to step aside when theyre on the 17th green to let the others hit their tee shots. Woods smiled when Watson approached and told him, Good shot.Watson also got caught up in the crowd, a benefit of playing so close to Woods.I could feel his crowd was really big, Watson said. You could feel it, the energy, even with the weather the way it was. People still showed up. People still had a blast. And obviously, Tiger created a lot of that.Bradley could sense it, too, even though he played on the opposite side of the draw. Bradley finished his round on No. 9 and hit what he thought was a great approach, except that he wasnt sure because no one was clapping. He turned to his caddie and asked him if it went over the green, or maybe even short of the green. And then he walked up to the green and saw it was 10 feet away. Thats when the light came on.Tiger was on the second green. No one was watching me, Bradley said with a laugh. Its just amazing to see the draw that Tiger has. Wow, there was a lot of people.They saw some good golf — just not very often from Woods.The crowd rose to its feet as Woods walked from the putting green to the first tee, and the anticipation began to build when the starter announced him as the winner of 79 PGA Tour events and 14 majors. He had 24 wins and five majors the last time he played.And then Woods sent his tee shot off the backyard wall of a house and back into the desert. He made the turn in 39 — his age.But he didnt have to chip again on the back nine, played better, hit two great shots (for eagle and birdie) and walked off with reasonable hopes of making it to the weekend. Woods hasnt played much of late from back injuries and recovery time. Even so, he made it clear that it could take time to heal — certainly quicker than getting his teeth fixed. ' ' '