Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos earned a decision win over Max Griffin on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo.
However, the Brazilian fighter suffered a serious foot injury just twelve days before he was set to step into the Octagon to face Griffin.
"I had an open fracture on my right foot, the pinky toe,” Zaleski told MMA Fighting. "The bone wasn’t fractured, but it cut the skin and tore the ligaments and the bone was out. I underwent a microsurgery and didn’t train for two days. I wasn’t supposed to train or fight, but I wanted this really bad."
The CABMMA (Brazilian Athletic Commission) was unaware of the injury or Dos Santos wouldn’t have been in the Octagon this past Saturday.
Besides the foot injury and the win at UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo, the fighter also learned he is going to be a father.
“I’m really happy,” Zaleski said. “The win is so important for me, my family, my team and my city, and being a father is amazing. I can’t even explain it. It’s a dream come true."
Dos Santos has yet to reveal the due date for his future child or the gender of that future baby.
