As of this morning, fight fans and other supporters had raised more than $24,000 as part of a GoFundMe fundraiser that Evangelista Santos never wanted.

This past week at Bellator 158 in London, Michael Page (11-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) tagged Santos (21-18 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) with a flying knee flush to the forehead (via Twitter):

The end result for “Cyborg,” a Brazilian vet who made his pro debut nearly 19 years ago, was a second-round knockout loss, a dented forehead and cracked skull, viral-video status (see the video above), and a GoFundMe fundraiser – set up his ex-wife and current Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane Justino – that he said he didn’t want or need.

Bellator President Scott Coker told MMAjunkie that the organization will pay all of Santos’ medical bills – and give him his win bonus despite the Spike-televised loss. Earlier this week “Cyborg” said his ex-wife is “crazy” for concerning so many people and starting the GoFundMe effort.

“People exaggerate,” he said on Monday. “I’m fine. I’m at my hotel. I’m feeling fine. I chose not to go to the hospital (in London). I opted to have my surgery in Houston. I’m fine. Nothing happened. I wasn’t knocked out. I only felt the pain from the fracture. At no time did I have any symptoms like convulsions or dizziness. It wasn’t a knockout. It was a fracture. It didn’t affect my brain. Everything is OK. People are crazy. I don’t need anything. At no time did Bellator refuse to help me.”

So, what’s the plan for all that money then? Santos, who said he has no plans to retire, could certainly use the funds to aid his training and recovery. Instead, though, he wants to fulfill a dream that benefits others.

“When I was 11 years old, I started shining shoes to help support my family,” the 38-year-old said. “I had six siblings. My father worked the land, and my mother was housekeeper. I would come home from school at 11 a.m. and stayed out in the streets until 10 p.m.

“This time of my life had a tremendous impact on me, as I started attending an institute called Casa do Menor Trabalhador de Rua – the home for child street workers in Rondonopolis, Brazil. It was supported by business owners and nuns. They had a library, a foosball table, soccer balls and hourly prayers.”

It was a life-changing resource, and he now wants to return the favor.

“Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to repay, from my heart, the sense of security and direction I received at this project,” he said. “Today I’m the fruit of their labors. So I wish to use the money that has been raised to launch a great dream of mine, to offer martial arts, literature and English classes. That way, we can prepare new champions for the fight that is life, and encourage them to use their full potential – intellectual, physical and technical.”

He hopes that plan will sit well with the more than 900 people who have donated anywhere from a few bucks to a thousand to his GoFundMe page. While the financial support wasn’t necessarily needed for his injury – and is now earmarked for a worthy cause – he appreciates the outpouring of support.

“Bellator took responsibility for my hospital costs,” he said. “They paid my win bonus. As such, I don’t find it fair that I should use the money for my own benefit. Even in a loss, I was blessed by the prayers and care of everyone in the fight world.

“May God bless each and every person for their positive thoughts, prayers and contributions. May the blessings also reach your families. And may God also bless Cris, who was so shocked by those images. Thank you for your friendship and concern.”

For more on Bellator 158, check out the MMA Events section of the site.