Junior dos Santos dropped his last 5 fights prior to his Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA scrap against Fabricio Werdum ... but the MMA legend tells TMZ Sports the win over the former UFC champ has reinvigorated his career!
"Just the fact that [the fans] were willing, they were excited to see me fighting again," dos Santos told us days after his fight.
"It's the main factor for me that makes me motivated because I know I still have a lot of good performances left on me. We're always ready to put on a good show."
Of course, 39-year-old dos Santos beat 46-year-old Werdum by split decision during the main event of Jorge Masvidal's promotion, Gamebred Fighting Championship 5, which featured two former UFC champs battling it out sans gloves.
As for how much longer he'll fight ... here's what "Cigano" had to say.
"Right now I go to the gym and I see my performance, I see the love, everything is there. I want to keep going."
"As soon as I go to the gym or I'm fighting or something like that and I'm not delivering anymore, I'll tell myself, I'll see that, I cannot do this anymore. This is kind of dangerous for me ... but right now I feel great!"
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We also talked to Junior about two of his former opponents ... Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou. Both men have big-time bouts coming up ... Stipe vs. Jon Jones and "The Predator" vs. heavyweight boxing king Tyson Fury.
He spent time in the octagon with both, so, who hits harder? JDS's answer will probably surprise you.