F. Esteves after victory at BrazilMMA. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @filipeesteves_
A true example of solidarity could be seen after an MMA event in Salvador (BA), which took place last Saturday (17). After facing Rildeci Dias in a title fight at the 'BrazilMMA' event, the flyweight (up to 61,2kg), Filipe Esteves decided to donate the money received for the fight to his rival. The decision came from the fact that Filipe learned that his opponent had to pay for the trip from Belém to Bahia and traveled around 35 hours. Furthermore, the amount received by the opponent would be R$500. In an interview with 'MMA Fighting', Esteves spoke about his attitude.
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“I saw his situation. He is a fighter, leaving Belém (PA) for Salvador to receive just R$500. This touched me. He is an experienced athlete, who has fought all over the world. He has more than 30 fights and a situation like this is like that of many other fighters in Brazil. I decided to do something about it”, said Filipe.
Esteves' generosity has gained worldwide repercussion, including being publicized in international media outlets. The 29-year-old fighter is yet to be defeated in his professional MMA career. In seven fights, Esteves never allowed a duel to reach the judges' results. There were, in total, three knockouts and four submissions.
In the confrontation against Rildeci, Filipe managed to overcome his opponent by applying a submission before the first minute of the second round of the duel. The victory marked the 9th defeat for Dias, who has had 32 fights, at the age of 33.
After the setback, Rildeci spoke about his surprise when it was announced that he would receive the scholarship as the winner of the fight. The athlete was surprised and moved by his professional companion's attitude.
“I never thought I would see an athlete do this, but Filipe has a huge heart and is a humble person. He said he made the decision before fighting; losing or winning. I cried a lot,” said Dias.
Esteves, too, is not economically stable. Recently, the athlete, who is a member of the Brazilian Wrestling Team, stopped attending a competition in Kazakhstan because he was unable to cover the travel costs. The athlete born in Salvador alternates between MMA and Wrestling and dreams of one day joining the group of Ultimate fighters.
“I'm dividing myself into two different lives. It's a dream to fight in the Olympics, but it's also a dream to be in the UFC. I have a 10-month-old daughter and I have to secure my future. The life of an Olympic athlete doesn't change anyone's financial situation, so MMA is my biggest resource at the moment”, concluded Filipe.
On the fighter's Instagram, some admirers of the athlete's attitude begin to emerge, reporting that they will start following Esteves' career after his noble attitude.
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