For Brazilian slugger Marlon Sandro (20-3 MMA, 3-1 BFC), it took just one momentary lapse in focus to derail his dream of Bellator gold.

“There was only one minute left in the second round,” Sandro recalled to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I decided to rest up, pace myself, to come out with everything on the third round. Unfortunately he surprised me.

“The moment I lowered my guard, he saw it and got the knockout.”

The moment in question came this past August, when Sandro took on Pat Curran in the finals of Bellator Fighting Championships’ Summer Series featherweight tournament. Curran scored a highlight-reel finish and became the first fighter to win Bellator tourneys in two different weightclasses.

It was a painful lesson learned, but one Sandro said he’s taken to heart. Now, the Nova Uniao product is again looking for tournament glory. He meets Roberto Vargas (12-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC) at this weekend’s Bellator 60 event at The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond in Hammond, Ind.

“I’m watching his videos almost every day,” Sandro said in his native Portuguese. “He’s a wrestler. I’m training with Daniel ‘Pirata’ Malvino from the Brazilian Olympic wrestling team, who just scored a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at the Pan-American championships. He’s very accomplished, so we’re working together to nullify Vargas’ game, which is to take me down.”

Sandro already rebounded from the first knockout loss of his career with a non-tournament win over Rafael Dias. But now it’s back to tournament action, where Sandro seeks a crack at either current champ Joe Warren or Curran, who also meet on the Bellator 60 card.

Some fans thought Sandro’s world ranking and finals slot in the Summer Series tournament might have been enough to earn him some type of “superfight” option rather than another eight-man field entry, but he’s just fine with the plan.

“Bellator actually chose to put me in the last tournament, and I think that’s more than fair,” Sandro said. “Despite having been a champion in other promotions, I think I should enter like everyone else: from the bottom, not from the top. It helps the fans get to know me.

“I enjoy the tournament format. Of course, once you became champion there’s no reason to revisit that, but I think everyone should go through that experience.”

Sandro is again a favorite to advance to the finals. And while Vargas is a solid, once-beaten prospect, Sandro is expected to advance in the tournament. Nevertheless, he insists he’ll be focused throughout the bout and hopes to never again lost sight of what it takes to win at the highest level.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve ever underestimated an opponent,” Sandro said. “Every athlete I’ve faced was difficult, well-prepared. I can put myself in their shoes since I train just as hard.

“Ultimately, I think every fighter must face a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, I tasted that bitter taste. I’d knocked out so many people, and it was my turn. This makes me want to be smarter, more alert, and reassess my training, so I won’t go through that again.”

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.