Elizeu Zaleski recently concluded his UFC contract with a thrilling majority draw against Rinat Fakhretdinov at UFC Sao Paulo. Despite feeling that he should have secured a victory in the Nov. 4 bout, Zaleski views the draw as "unfair" but remains optimistic about his future negotiations with the promotion.
Expressing confidence in the UFC's plans for him, Zaleski stated, “I believe the UFC has great plans for me. I’m always open to negotiations. I feel great in the organization, I’m always giving my best in every fight. But everything is negotiable. I need to be valued not only as an athlete but also financially, and I’m fighting for this.”
With a notable UFC record of 10-3-1, including a knockout victory over middleweight champion Sean Strickland, Zaleski has proven himself against tough competition, securing decisions over fighters like Max Griffin and Abubakar Nurmagomedov. His recent unbeaten streak features a dominant performance against welterweight contender Benoit Saint-Denis.
“They know I’ll always deliver wherever I go, and it will be no different for my next fights,” Zaleski affirmed. “I hope I’m getting valued. I’ll do what I do best and always represent my country well.”
Coach Cristiano Marcello added, “He’s always fought the toughest competition in the UFC. He’s always putting on a show — and even knocked out the [middleweight] champion.”
While open to a rematch with Fakhretdinov, Zaleski has his sights set on more intriguing matchups for his potential UFC return. “A fight that I think would be really interesting is Santiago Ponzinibbio,” Zaleski revealed.
Ponzinibbio recently faced Kevin Holland and experienced a loss after closing 2022 with a bonus-winning knockout against Alex Morono. Zaleski sees the potential bout as a Brazil vs. Argentina rivalry, saying, “We have this Brazil vs. Argentina rivalry in soccer, so why not do it in MMA as well? Let’s do it! He’s a striker and likes to brawl just like myself, so it would definitely sell well. I’d love this — and it would definitely end by knockout.”