Elizeu Zaleski Record: 25-10-1

UFC rise

Starting in 2016, Zaleski reeled off a remarkable seven-fight UFC winning streak. It began with a third-round TKO of Omari Akhmedov in April 2016, followed by decisions over Japanese veteran Keita Nakamura and former Bellator champion Lyman Good, then a unanimous-decision win over Max Griffin in October 2017. The highlight came in May 2018 at UFC 224, when he flattened Sean Strickland with a spinning wheel kick and punches in the first round – a signature "Capoeira" finish. He kept it rolling with a second-round knockout of unbeaten Luigi Vendramini in September 2018 and a first-round rear-naked choke of Curtis Millender in March 2019.

Later career

The streak ended with a third-round TKO loss to Jingliang Li in August 2019, after which Zaleski settled into the role of a tough, experienced gatekeeper. He outpointed once-beaten Alexey Kunchenko in March 2020 before dropping a split decision to Muslim Salikhov that July. He bounced back with a decision over unbeaten prospect Benoit Saint-Denis in 2021 and a split-decision win over Abubakar Nurmagomedov in 2023, then fought Rinat Fakhretdinov to a majority draw later that year. A decision loss to Randy Brown in June 2024 was answered by a first-round TKO of unbeaten Zach Scroggin that November, before TKO losses to Chidi Njokuani and veteran Neil Magny in 2025.

Fighting style

Zaleski is a knockout artist with flair, and the numbers back it up: 15 of his 25 wins have come by knockout, with three more by submission, for a 72% finish rate. His capoeira background feeds an unorthodox, kick-heavy striking game built around spinning techniques and explosive entries, the spinning wheel-kick knockout of Strickland being the defining example. He is also a legitimate grappler with a BJJ black belt, capable of finding the finish on the mat. His durability has been tested in the later stages of his career, with several stoppage losses against top opposition, but at his peak he was one of the most dangerous and watchable strikers at 170 pounds.

Career highlights

• Seven-fight UFC win streak — strung together seven straight Octagon victories from 2016 to 2019, the centerpiece of his welterweight run.
• Spinning wheel-kick knockout — flattened Sean Strickland with a spectacular spinning kick at UFC 224, the signature finish of his career.
• Capoeira to the cage — a BJJ black belt who turned a childhood capoeira foundation into a 72% finish rate, with 15 of 25 wins by knockout.