Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos confident with UFC on ESPN 45 win, says Abubakar Nurmagomedov came to stall

LAS VEGAS – Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos knew he had done enough to get his hand raised at UFC on ESPN 45.

Zaleski dos Santos (24-7 MMA, 10-3 UFC) returned after serving a one-year suspension by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to squeak past Abubakar Nurmagomedov by split decision in this past Saturday’s main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Nurmagomedov was only 1-for-8 in his takedown attempts as the Brazilian was able to fend off his grappling and outstrike him overall in the fight.

“I knew what I had done to win this,” Zaleski dos Santos told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter. “I thought I was more aggressive. I had more significant strikes. What he came to do was actually stall against the fence, and I was pretty confident about it.”

Zaleski dos Santos, who is expecting a baby girl within days, is ready to book his next fight. He has two welterweights in mind.

“As soon as possible,” Zaleski dos Santos said of his next fight. “Just want to go back home, my daughter is scheduled for the 10th (of June), so pretty soon. There are a couple of names that I mentioned: Gunnar Nelson and Neil Magny. I want to fight them as soon as possible. Hey, UFC, just make that happen, and I’ll be right back.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 45.