Antonio Carlos Jr. Far From Finished

It was a long and difficult road back for Antonio Carlos Jr.

The 2021 Professional Fighters League light heavyweight champion will return to the cage for the first time in almost two years when he matches skills with Simon Biyong in a featured PFL 2 attraction on Friday inside The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. A serious knee injury has kept Carlos Jr. on the sidelines since June 17, 2022.

“I fought twice with a partially torn ACL,” he told Sherdog.com. “I don’t even know how I managed to fight. It was truly challenging. I was doing more physical therapy and strength work than actually training. I still managed to get two wins in two fights. While training for the playoffs [in 2022], I had a total ligament tear, along with a meniscus injury. I wasn’t able to either bend or completely straighten my leg. It stayed at an angle after the tear. I couldn’t even walk properly.

“It was a difficult period,” Carlos Jr. added. “I wanted to fight. I was feeling ready to win yet another title. Then it happened. It was frustrating, but these things happen. Because of the time that it takes to recover, I wasn’t able to join the following season. After a year and a half, I’m coming back to do what I do best.”

Carlos Jr. confronts a relative unknown in his return. Born in Cameroon and based in Italy, Biyong steps into his promotional debut with wins in six of his past eight outings. He last fought at Bellator 296 on May 12, when he dropped a three-round unanimous decision to Jose Augusto. Though Biyong heads into his match with “Cara de Sapato” as an unproven commodity, Carlos Jr. has taken steps to ensure he does not overlook the underdog.

“It’s a big danger, especially with a guy like him,” he said. “He’s very big and athletic. He has a great reach. If he uses that, he becomes even more dangerous, not to mention his physical build. We have to be very careful, especially at the start of a fight. He is strong and likes to pressure constantly. We have to pay attention, and I have been idle for a while. Underestimating someone is not something I’ve ever done. Ours is a sport in which anything can happen. Regardless of who I’m fighting, I always step into the cage looking to bring my best.”

As has been his standard operating procedure for years, Carlos Jr. spent his training camp at the powerhouse American Top Team academy in Coconut Creek, Florida. Daily access to coaches like Marcus “Conan” Silveira, Gabriel de Oliveira, Steve Mocco and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal has proven invaluable.

“It’s a huge academy with tons of great athletes,” said Carlos Jr., who supplemented his efforts at American Top Team by training with boxing coach Luiz Dorea in Brazil. “We always manage to simulate our opponents. I’m glad with how everything went. We’ll be seeing the results in the cage.”

Carlos Jr. likes the changes the Professional Fighters League has made in his absence, most notably its recent acquisition of the Bellator MMA promotion. A deeper talent pool intrigues him.

“It’s going to become even more competitive since more fighters were brought in,” Carlos Jr. said. “More fighters should mean more people watching. We’re rooting for the organization to grow even more.”