Rivalries: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

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Many might consider Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos an old man in mixed martial arts years. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight mainstay—an integral part of the 170-pound weight class since 2015—continues to strive for growth. Zaleski dos Santos wields a 10-3-1 mark over his 14 appearances in the Octagon, even as he was subjected to some growing pains along the way. Setbacks have never seemed to shake “Capoeira,” who always tries to take them in stride.

Now at 37, Zaleski wants to author a “Fight of the Night” performance against Randy Brown in their Benoit St. Denis
This fight was an interesting one for Zaleski dos Santos, not because of the performance he put on but due to what many saw as questionable refereeing. At the UFC 267 clash against St. Denis, “Capoeira” was piecing up his foe on the feet outside of an early takedown by the Frenchman. Zaleski dos Santos hurt his rival early in the second round and amped up the pressure, taking “God of War” apart with excellent striking. Many argued at that point that the fight could have been stopped, but referee Vyacheslav Kiselev allowed the bout to go on and St. Denis made it to the final round. St. Denis’ toughness held up and allowed him to survive the onslaught. Zaleski dos Santos lost a point without a warning for a low blow, but it ultimately did not matter when it came to the final verdict. All the judges scored the bout 29-26 in favor of Zaleski dos Santos, who bounced back from a split decision loss to Muslim Salikhov.

Abubakar Nurmagomedov

Zaleski dos Santos’ fight with the Nurmagomedov brother sparked controversy for post-fight antics rather than for the actual fight or buildup. The opening fight of the main card at UFC on ESPN 46 proved to be a back-and-forth battle, with momentum oscillating between the rivals. Nurmagomedov stifled Zaleski dos Santos early but clawed back into the fight with an offensive onslaught of his own. He defended well against the Dagestani’s takedown attempts and held his ground in the clinch. The Brazilian had a discernible advantage while striking from range. However, the third round, although close, tilted in favor of Zaleski dos Santos, who bagged a razor-thin split decision, with scores of 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28. However, it was a viral moment after the final buzzer that drew fuming reactions from fans. Zaleski dos Santos landed an accidental knee after the final bell that antagonized Nurmagomedov, and the Russian slapped him for the oversight.

Rinat Fakhretdinov

At UFC Fight Night 231, the welterweights engaged in a cat-and-mouse contest where each played both roles over the course of 15 minutes. Fakretdinov dropped Zaleski dos Santos in the opening frame and dominated through the round. The second round proved to be an evenly contested affair. However, in the third, the Brazilian came out aggressive, eventually hurting Fakhretdinov late in the frame with a front kick to the midsection. While he could not register the finish, it was a strong statement that reflected on the scorecards, as the fight was ruled out as a majority draw. The draw derailed the Russian’s 20-fight winning streak and proved that Zaleski dos Santos can go toe-to-toe with any challenger or any given day.