D. Kelly alongside her son Erik. Photo: Reproduction / Twitter
Brazil celebrates 'Father's Day' this Sunday (12), but a very moving story involving a parent and child touched everyone in the UFC world. Middleweight Dan Kelly, 40, had hung up his gloves after his last fight in May, but he decided to return to compete for his 12-year-old son Erik. He has a serious genetic disease called “cystinosis”. If left untreated, the disease, which has no cure, can cause all organs to fail. Therefore, moved by his son's situation, Kellly decided to return to the octagon and enter the fighting area accompanied by his heir. He asked Ultimate to fight at UFC Fight Night Adelaide, on December 1st, in Australia.
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Kelly asked for his son's company when he entered the fighting area, who was initially worried about not disturbing his father when he was concentrating. “You’re not going to get in my way, man! I want you there!”, revealed Kelly, in an interview with the Australian newspaper “The Herald Sun”. “I want him to walk into the Octagon alongside me. Everyone knows his story. I've always kept her a little out of the spotlight, but I think it would be a special moment to share with him: being able to enter the Octagon for the last time with her father”, he added.
Despite Kelly's wishes, the UFC has not yet confirmed the duel, as the Australian is without a contract with the event. However, the fighter believes he can face American Zak Cummings on the show.
“This is a fight that makes a lot of sense, and it’s good for me. He (Cummings) has a good record, he's not a kid – he's 34 years old – and he specializes in grappling. It's always fun to fight guys like that (I have a good record against them). I decided to say I accepted. It would be great to fight one last time,” he concluded.
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