Evangelista Santos on Skull Fracture: ‘I Have to Respect my Body’

Evangelista Santos has put his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career on hold.

While Santos said he had retired back in January, he isn’t completely ruling out a return some day. The word he uses now is, “suspended.” The last time “Cyborg” fought was back in July 2016. He suffered a skull fracture thanks to a flying knee by Michael Page.

The injury was so bad that it left a dent in on Santos’ forehead. Luckily for “Cyborg,” he has received constant medical treatment. He told MMAJunkie.com that the decision to halt his fighting career was his own:

“My recovery was very uneventful, thankfully. I remained in Houston, Texas, for six months. Whenever possible, I’d go back to the hospital for follow-ups. I’ve been in Brazil since December. My recovery went very well. I never felt anything. I don’t feel anything. The decision to remain ‘suspended’ from fighting came from me. I believe I need this time to recover. I have to respect my body. It was a very serious fracture, as everyone saw.”

While Santos hasn’t closed the door on his competitive days in MMA, the door isn’t exactly wide open.

“Right after, I was vocal about my wishes to get back to fighting as soon as possible, but it’s better to act with good sense. I took time to think about it, and I want to recover. That’s what I’m doing in Brazil. I’m living with my daughter. I’m teaching fighters here at Chute Boxe in Curitiba, at our professional branch. It’s a great opportunity to share my knowledge with a new generation of fighters, both amateur and professional. Chute Boxe is a true stable of champions, and when one of us stops, we teach what we’ve learned. And that’s what I’m doing now.”

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