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Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos' 2016 campaign was an emotional rollercoaster.

The Brazilian veteran suffered a skull fracture in a knockout loss to Michael Page in July of last year, which put his career in serious jeopardy. Santos then announced his retirement from the sport in early 2017, but his passion for mixed martial arts is still there.

"Cyborg" is now aiming to return to the cage next year and wants to make his mark on the sport.

"Truthfully, I announced my retirement earlier this year because it was a way of focusing on what I'm doing and breaking the anxiety of going back to training and wanting to be fighting and competing," Santos said. "I couldn't focus on what I needed to focus on, and I didn't even give myself the time I needed to recover from such a severe injury. So, announcing my retirement was a way to focus on other things, but that doesn't stop me from returning and getting back to active competition.

"Next year, if I'm training well, I intend to go back [to competition]. Yes, I have that wish. I want to get back and have another ten or 12 fights before retiring. [It's a decision] by impulse but in a rational way."

More than a year after a seven-hour surgery that saw a titanium plate being put into his skull to support the healing process, the Brazilian said he doesn't notice any long-term damage caused by the knockout strike or the surgery. And while he hasn't regained his physical conditioning yet, Santos focuses on working with younger athletes on the way back.

"What has changed since my surgery is that I'm no longer training with the same intensity, because now I am also attending classes with amateur and professional athletes," Santos said. "I am here in Curitiba. I will stay until the end of the year and share my knowledge with the new generation here at Chute Boxe headquarters.

When he does return to competition, though, "Cyborg" jokes that the titanium plate in his head might do him a favor once he has stepped foot into the cage again.

"They say that when you put titanium in your jaw, it gets stronger, and I put it in my forehead," Santos said. "The doctors didn't tell me anything about it, but I hope it brings me more benefits [laughs]. I'll know as soon as I return to training."