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UFC Wichita: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos ready to make move to top five

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With a six-fight winning streak, including three post-fight bonuses, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos is one of the UFC’s hottest welterweights.

Tonight, dos Santos (20-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets another up-and-comer in the 170-pound division when he takes on Curtis Millender (17-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in what should be the most crucial bout to date for both fighters.

Their fight is the co-main event for UFC on ESPN+ 4, which takes place at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan. The event streams on ESPN+.

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“Without a doubt, Curtis Millender is very well regarded,” Zaleski recently told MMA Junkie. “He’s on a three-fight win streak in the world’s biggest organization. He’s tough. He’s defeated great opponents, who were all coming off wins. So, it doesn’t matter if he isn’t currently ranked. I’m training hard to face him, so I can further prove that I deserve to be among the best.

“Since he also likes to stand up, I foresee another great fight. We just might get the ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus at UFC Wichita. I see a lot of holes in his game. I’ll nullify his game and impose mine. He wants to show good work, but I’m much hungrier.”

That hunger has been going on for a while. Zaleski dos Santos dropped his UFC debut nearly four years ago by split decision to Nicolas Dalby.

Since then, it’s been all upward motion with six straight wins, three finishes, and three $50,000 bonuses. His most recent two wins have been highlight-reel knockouts in Brazil that just as easily could’ve won post-fight bonuses, too.

“I think a lot has changed since my debut,” he said. “Unfortunately, I started out in the UFC with a loss. I felt I’d won, but the judges didn’t see it that way. So we had to reprogram. I sat down with my team to see what could be improved.

“We looked for things that would result in better performances. We put an emphasis on making improvements, so that I may be better with each fight, so that I may reach my ultimate goal. My current success is the result of the hard work I’ve been doing with my team. We look to bring something new in each bout. The consistency of innovation is what’s yielding good results.”

If Zaleski dos Santos’ streak hits seven after tonight, it’s a safe bet he’ll be asking to get in front of some even stiffer competition than Millender brings to the table.

It’s all part of that ultimate goal of making his way to a title shot.

“I want to face the best,” he said. “I want to be in the top five. Anyone in that group would make for a very important opponent in pursuit of my goal. I’m taking one step at a time. I expect to be fighting for the belt eventually.”

For more on UFC on ESPN+ 4, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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