Rafael Souza dos Anjos (; born October 26, 1984) is a Brazilian American professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...

. He currently competes in the

Welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the ...

and

Lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight boxe ...

divisions in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

(UFC). He is a former

UFC Lightweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

and a former top contender in the Welterweight division. As of December 13, 2022, he is #8 in the UFC lightweight rankings.

Early life

In a 2014 interview, dos Anjos stated that he was a troubled child, getting into fights in his hometown Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. He originally started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Daniel Matheus at the age of nine. According to dos Anjos, he stopped fighting on the streets when he began training jiu jitsu.

Mixed martial arts career

The majority of dos Anjos' early career took place in his native country of Brazil. He started off his career with a record of 2-2, with both losses coming by way of split decision. dos Anjos then racked up 9 straight victories, which included 6 submissions. His 11–2 record in regional circuits was enough to get a call from the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

dos Anjos made his UFC debut at

UFC 91 ''UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on November 15, 2008, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event featured the return of UFC Heavy ...

, losing to Jeremy Stephens. The fight was stopped in the third round after an uppercut knocked out dos Anjos. For his second UFC fight, dos Anjos faced

Tyson Griffin Tyson Lee Griffin (born April 20, 1984) is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the lightweight division. He competed for the UFC, Strikeforce, the RFA, and the World Series of Fighting. Background Griffin was a standout w ...

UFC Fight Night 18 ''UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 18'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on April 1, 2009. Background The event was broadcast on Spike TV and served as a lea ...

. dos Anjos lost the back-and-forth battle via unanimous decision. The bout was awarded ''Fight of the Night'' honors. dos Anjos was scheduled to fight

Matt Wiman Matthew Charles Wimanhttp://boxing.nv.gov/2011%20Results%20Web/07-02-11%20MMA.pdf (born September 19, 1983) is an American retired mixed martial artist who competed as a lightweight. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background ...

on September 19, 2009, at

UFC 103 ''UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on September 19, 2009 in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center. The event was broadcast on pay-per-view. Background This ...

, but due to a knee injury suffered by Wiman, he instead faced

Rob Emerson Robert Michael Emerson (born July 30, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2002, Emerson is also a veteran of Bellator MMA, the UFC, Pancrase, and was a cast member of ''The Ultimate Fighter 5''. ...

. dos Anjos got a much-needed win by unanimous decision. dos Anjos then defeated Kyle Bradley via unanimous decision at

UFC Fight Night 20 ''UFC Fight Night: Maynard vs. Diaz'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 20'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on January 11, 2010 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Background Nik Lentz ...

. At

UFC 112 ''UFC 112: Invincible'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 10, 2010, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Due to the time zone difference in Abu Dhabi, UFC 112 was shown live on pay-per-view in the U ...

, dos Anjos defeated

Terry Etim Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), Am ...

via second round armbar submission, earning him ''Submission of the Night'' honors. dos Anjos faced

Clay Guida Clayton Charles Guida (; born December 8, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the UFC competing in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 2003, Guida also formerly competed for Strikeforc ...

on August 7, 2010, at

UFC 117 ''UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States. Background UFC President Dana White announced via ESPN on Jim Ro ...

. Guida appeared to injure the jaw of dos Anjos in the first round with a hook and would go on to defeat dos Anjos by submission (jaw injury) after dos Anjos tapped from the pressure being applied to his jaw while Guida had arm-and-head control. dos Anjos next faced

George Sotiropoulos George Sotiropoulos (born 9 July 1977) is an Australian born retired mixed martial artist of Greek descent who previously fought in the UFC in their Lightweight division. He is well known for appearing as a fighter on the TV show '' The Ultimat ...

on July 2, 2011, at

UFC 132 ''UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background UFC 132 was originally set to feature a rematch between B.J. Pe ...

after replacing an injured

Evan Dunham Evan Neil Dunham (born December 18, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist competing in the lightweight division. He is perhaps best known for 21-fight tenure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship which spanned over a decade. Bac ...

. Dos Anjos showcased his vastly improved striking skills, knocking out Sotiropoulos cold in the first round with a right hand. dos Anjos faced

Gleison Tibau Janigleison Herculano Alves, better known as Gleison Tibau (; born July 10, 1983) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division of Professional Fighters League. A professional since 1999, he has competed for ...

on November 19, 2011, at

UFC 139 ''UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 19, 2011 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. It was the first UFC event in San Jose, the longtime home and base ar ...

. He lost the fight via split decision. dos Anjos faced

Kamal Shalorus Kamal Shalorus (; born 26 August 1973) is an Iranian-born British professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division of ONE Championship. A professional competitor since 2008, Shalorus has also formerly competed for the U ...

on May 15, 2012, at UFC on Fuel TV: The Korean Zombie vs. Poirier. After dropping Shalorus with a head kick, dos Anjos submitted him via rear-naked choke in the first round. After taking virtually no damage in the fight against Shalorus, dos Anjos quickly returned to face

Anthony Njokuani Anthony Obinna Njokuani (born March 1, 1980) is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer. A professional competitor since 2001, Njokuani has also formerly competed for the UFC, WEC, and ONE Championship. Background ...

on July 11, 2012, at UFC on Fuel TV: Munoz vs. Weidman, replacing an injured Paul Taylor. He won the fight via unanimous decision, dominating Njokuani both in striking and grappling. dos Anjos faced

Mark Bocek Mark Andrew Bocek ( cs, Boček; born October 24, 1981) is a Canadian retired mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor for ten years from 2004 to 2014, Bocek has ...

on November 17, 2012, at

UFC 154 ''UFC 154: St-Pierre vs. Condit'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 17, 2012, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Background Parent company Zuffa, LLC produced a UFC Pri ...

. He won the fight via unanimous decision, once again having the edge in both standup and ground fighting. dos Anjos next faced

on May 18, 2013, at

UFC on FX 8 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

. He won the fight via unanimous decision. However, there was some controversy, as 10 out of 10 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Dunham. dos Anjos faced

Donald Cerrone Donald Cerrone (born March 29, 1983), known professionally by his nickname "Cowboy", is an American retired mixed martial artist, actor, and former professional kickboxer. He competed in the Lightweight and Welterweight division for the Ultimat ...

on August 28, 2013, at

UFC Fight Night 27 ''UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 27'') was a mixed martial arts event held on August 28, 2013, at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event was broadcast live on Fox Sports 1. Backg ...

. He won the fight via unanimous decision. dos Anjos was expected to face

Rustam Khabilov Rustam Khabilov (born 4 November 1986) is a Russian mixed martial artist, currently competing in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA. He is a Combat Sambo World Champion and a former member of the Legion Sport Club fight team in Rostov-on-D ...

on February 22, 2014, at

UFC 170 ''UFC 170: Rousey vs. McMann'' was a mixed martial arts held on February 22, 2014, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was released on DVD on May 27, 2014. The DVD was distributed by ''Anchor Bay Entertainment''. Ba ...

. However, the bout was scrapped in the weeks leading up to the event. dos Anjos instead faced

Khabib Nurmagomedov Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov av, ХIабиб ГӀабдулманапил НурмухӀамадов (born 20 September 1988) is a Russian former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the lightweight division of the Ultima ...

on April 19, 2014, at

UFC on Fox 11 ''UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 11'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 19, 2014, at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Background The event was headlined by a he ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. dos Anjos faced

Jason High Jason High (born October 12, 1981) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League. A professional competitor since 2005, High has also competed for Strikeforce, Aff ...

on June 7, 2014, at

UFC Fight Night 42 ''UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 42'') was a mixed martial arts event held on June 7, 2014, at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Background The event was the first that the organization hoste ...

. He won the fight via TKO in the second round. dos Anjos headlined

UFC Fight Night 49 ''UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. dos Anjos'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 49'') was a mixed martial arts event held on August 23, 2014, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Background The event was headlined by Lightweight contenders Benson ...

against former lightweight champion

Benson Henderson Benson Henderson (born November 16, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes for Bellator MMA, currently competing in their Lightweight division. He is a former UFC Lightweight Champion and WEC Lightweight Champion. As of Novembe ...

on August 23, 2014. He won the fight via knockout in the first round after dropping Henderson with a flying knee and rendering him unconscious with a follow-up left hook. The win also earned him his first ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award and made him the only man to stop Henderson by strikes. dos Anjos faced

Nate Diaz Nathan Donald Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American professional mixed martial artist who is currently a free agent. Diaz is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought for over 15 year ...

on December 13, 2014, at

UFC on Fox 13 ''UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 13'') was a mixed martial arts event held at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 13, 2014. Background The event was the first that the organization has hosted in ...

. He won the fight by unanimous decision. He dominated the first two rounds with superior striking and vicious leg kicks with the third round being controlled by dos Anjos on the mat.

UFC Lightweight Championship

dos Anjos faced

Anthony Pettis Anthony Paul Pettis (born January 27, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League. Pettis formerly fought in the Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight divisions of th ...

for the

UFC Lightweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

on March 14, 2015, at

UFC 185 ''UFC 185: Pettis vs. dos Anjos'' was a mixed martial arts event held on March 14, 2015, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Background The event was the third that the UFC has hosted in Dallas, Texas. The event was headlined by a ...

. dos Anjos won the bout via unanimous decision in a dominant fashion. After the fight, dos Anjos revealed that he had torn his MCL only a few weeks before the bout. The win once again earned him a ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. For his first title defense, dos Anjos rematched

in the main event of

UFC on Fox 17 ''UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2'' (also known as ''UFC on Fox 17'') was a mixed martial arts event held on December 19, 2015, at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Background The event was headlined by a UFC Lightweight Championship bout ...

on December 19, 2015. He won the fight via TKO at just 66 seconds into the first round, resulting in the fastest finish in UFC Lightweight title history. The win also earned dos Anjos his third ''Performance of the Night'' bonus award. dos Anjos was expected to face

Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor ( ga, Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir; born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight double-champion. He is the first ...

on March 5, 2016, at

UFC 196 ''UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz'' was a mixed martial arts event held on March 5, 2016 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The event was officially announced in November 2015 as "UFC 197," taking place on March 5, 2016 at HS ...

for his second title defense of the lightweight belt. However, it was announced on February 23 that dos Anjos had been forced out of the fight after breaking his foot during training. In his second title defense, dos Anjos faced

Eddie Alvarez Edward "Eddie" Alvarez (born January 11, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight (170 lb) division of ONE Championship. He also formerly competed in the UFC and Bellator MMA, winning world titles ...

on July 7, 2016, at

UFC Fight Night 90 ''UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Alvarez'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 90'') was a mixed martial arts event held on July 7, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The event was the first of three events in as man ...

. Despite closing as a three-to-one favorite to win the fight, he lost the bout via TKO in the first round. Reports arose after the Alvarez fight that dos Anjos had passed out for three minutes moments before going out to fight, and that this was due to the effects of the gruelling weight cut.

Post championship

dos Anjos next faced

Tony Ferguson Anthony Armand Ferguson Padilla (born February 12, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight C ...

on November 5, 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Both participants were awarded ''Fight of the Night'' for their performance.

Move to Welterweight

dos Anjos faced

Tarec Saffiedine Tarec Robert Saffiedine (born 6 September 1986) is a Belgian former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Saffiedine has also f ...

, former

Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *'' Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *'' Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *''Marvel Strike Force'', ...

title holder, in a welterweight bout on June 17, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia. He won the fight via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 29–28). dos Anjos faced

Neil Magny Aoutneil "Neil" Jacques Magny (born August 3, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional MMA competitor since 2010, Magny ...

on September 9, 2017, at

UFC 215 ''UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on September 9, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Background The promotion was initially planning a PPV event ...

. He won the fight via arm-triangle choke submission in the first round. This win also earned dos Anjos his fourth ''

Performance of the Night UFC Bonus Awards are three separate cash bonuses usually awarded to four fighters after each UFC event, based on internal decisions by UFC management. More/fewer bonuses have been awarded at some events, especially when no knockouts or submissions ...

'' bonus award. In a title eliminator, dos Anjos faced

Robbie Lawler Robert Lawler (born March 20, 1982) is an American professional mixed martial artist who has been competing since 2001. He is the former UFC Welterweight Champion, former EliteXC Middleweight Champion, and has formerly competed in Strikeforc ...

on December 16, 2017, in the main event at UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. dos Anjos. dos Anjos' fight plan relied heavily on low leg kicks and constant combos consisting of body shots and leg kicks. He won the fight by unanimous decision. dos Anjos fought

Colby Covington Colby Ray Covington (born February 22, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Welterweight Champ ...

on June 9, 2018, at

UFC 225 ''UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on June 9, 2018, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Background A UFC Middleweight Championship bout between ...

for the Interim UFC Welterweight Championship. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. dos Anjos faced

Kamaru Usman Kamarudeen Usman (born May 11, 1987) is a Nigerian and American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and retired folkstyle wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championsh ...

on November 30, 2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. dos Anjos faced Kevin Lee in Lee's welterweight debut at

UFC Fight Night 152 ''UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 152'' or ''UFC on ESPN+ 10'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on May 18, 2019 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, ...

on May 18, 2019. He won the fight via an arm triangle submission in the fourth round. dos Anjos faced

Leon Edwards Leon Aaron Edwards (born 25 August 1991) is an English professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Welterweight Champion. A profe ...

on July 20, 2019, at

UFC on ESPN 4 UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 4'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 20, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Background The event ma ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. dos Anjos faced

Michael Chiesa Michael Keith Chiesa (; born December 7, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist, and sports analyst who currently competes in the welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional MMA competitor sin ...

on January 25, 2020, at

UFC Fight Night 166 ''UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. dos Santos'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 166'' and ''UFC on ESPN+ 24'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 25, 2020 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, ...

. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Return to Lightweight

dos Anjos was expected to face

Islam Makhachev Islam Ramazanovich Makhachev (russian: Исла́м Рамаза́нович Маха́чев; born 27 October 1991) is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and former Sambo competitor. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in ...

on October 24, 2020, in dos Anjos' return to the lightweight division at

UFC 254 ''UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 24, 2020 at the du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Background The event proceeded w ...

. However, on October 8, 2020, it was reported that dos Anjos tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and he was removed from the bout. The pairing was left intact and rescheduled for November 14, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos. However, on November 8, it was reported that Makhachev was forced to pull from the event due to injuries. On a quick turnaround, it was announced that

Paul Felder Paul Felder (born April 25, 1984) is an American retired professional mixed martial artist and color commentator for UFC. He competed in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2011, Felder also ...

stepped up to replace Makhachev on five days notice. Simultaneously, dos Anjos signed a new six-fight contract with the UFC and committed to compete in the lightweight division. dos Anjos went on to defeat Felder via split decision. This fight earned him the '' Fight of the Night'' awards. The bout with Makhachev was rescheduled and was expected to take place on October 30, 2021, at

UFC 267 ''UFC 267: Błachowicz vs. Teixeira'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 30, 2021, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Background This event took plac ...

. However, yet again, dos Anjos was forced to pulled from the event, citing injury, and was replaced by

Dan Hooker Daniel Hooker (born 13 February 1990) is a New Zealand mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Hooker was the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Champion and WKBF ...

. dos Anjos was scheduled to face

Rafael Fiziev Rafael Fiziev (born March 5, 1993) is an Azerbaijani professional mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter, who currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of October 24, 2022, he is #6 in the ...

on February 19, 2022, at

UFC Fight Night 201 ''UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Hill'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 201'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 59'' and ''UFC Vegas 48'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 19, 2022, at the UFC ...

. However, the bout was postponed to

UFC 272 ''UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 5, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. ...

due to visa issues with Fiziev. One week before the event, Fiziev was forced to withdraw due to testing positive for COVID-19, and was replaced by

Renato Moicano Renato Alves Carneiro better known as Renato Moicano (born May 21, 1989) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2010, Moicano made a ...

on just 4 days notice at a catchweight of 160 pounds. dos Anjos won the fight via unanimous decision. The bout against Fiziev was rescheduled for the third time for UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Fiziev on July 9, 2022. He lost the fight via knockout in round five.

Return to Welterweight

Dos Anjos faced

Bryan Barberena Bryan Paul Barberena (born May 3, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2009, he has also competed for King of the Cage. B ...

in a welterweight bout on December 3, 2022 at

UFC on ESPN 42 ''UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN 42'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 3, 2022, at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, United States. Backg ...

. He won via neck crank in the second round. From this bout, Dos Anjos surpassed

Frankie Edgar Frankie Edgar (born October 16, 1981) is an American retired professional mixed martial artist, who most recently competed in the Bantamweight (MMA), Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Beginning his career in the L ...

for longest fight time and is the first fighter to reach 8 hours of fight time in UFC history.

Fighting style

Dos Anjos is known for his aggressive, high-volume striking, physical strength, and strong takedown capabilities. He will often come out aggressively in a

Muay Thai Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...

stance, then use feints and kicks to back his opponent against the cage while swarming them with flurries of punches as well as takedowns. He is particularly noted for his left kick to the body and right hook to the head; he uses these strikes to limit his opponent's lateral movement as they attempt to get their backs away from the fence. Under trainer

Jason Parillo Jason Parillo (Born June 11, 1974 in New York) is an American Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) coach at the RVCA Training Centre and former professional boxer. He is best known for training multiple MMA world champions. Background Born in New York i ...

, dos Anjos developed a refined

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

game in 2017. On the ground, he is noted for his powerful ground-and-pound, which includes punches and sharp elbow strikes. In addition to his striking, dos Anjos is a high-level black belt in

Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...

. Dos Anjos trains out of

Evolve MMA Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (not associated with Evolve Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) is a chain of martial arts academies. Founded by Chatri Sityodtong, it opened in January 2009. The gym includes several former and reigning UFC and ONE Championship World ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

and at Team RDA in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

; he formerly trained at

Kings MMA Kings MMA is a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym located in Huntington Beach, California, headed by coach Rafael Cordeiro. A successful mixed martial artist in his native Brazil, Cordeiro moved to the United States in 2008, he was previously affiliat ...

but left after losing to Eddie Alvarez. He is a

black belt under Aldo "Caveirinha" Januário.

Personal life

After receiving a broken jaw in the Guida fight, dos Anjos now has a titanium-fused jaw that he claims has broken some hands of later opponents. Dr. Johnny Benjamin has disagreed with dos Anjos, pointing out that the titanium plate in his jaw is measured in millimeters. Dos Anjos is a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

. Dos Anjos has three children with his wife, Cris. On December 20, 2019, dos Anjos revealed on social media that he and his family have become

naturalized U.S. citizen Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constit ...

Championships and achievements

(One time) ***One successful title defense ** Fight of the Night (Three times) ** Submission of the Night (One time) **

(Four times) **Longest total fight time in UFC history (8:01:49) ** Most unanimous decision wins in UFC history (11) **Tied (

Francisco Trinaldo Francisco Trinaldo Soares da Rocha (; born August 24, 1978) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional since 2006, he has also competed for Jungle Fight in h ...

) for most unanimous decision wins in UFC Lightweight history (7) **First and only fighter to reach 8 hours of fight time in UFC history **Tied (

Charles Oliveira Charles Oliveira da Silvahttp://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2014_Results/12-12-14MMA.pdf (born October 17, 1989) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. He currently comp ...

Dustin Poirier Dustin Poirier (born January 19, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. As of May 9, 2022, he is #2 in the UFC lightweight rankings and as of October 24, 2022, he is #11 in the U ...

) for fifth most wins in UFC history (21) **Second most decision fights in UFC history (20) **Tied (

Demian Maia Demian Maia (born 6 November 1977) is a Brazilian professional submission grappler and mixed martial artist. He competed in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Maia is regarded as one ...

) for sixth most bouts in UFC history (33) *

Fight Matrix Fight Matrix , MMA Rankings, Records, Statistics is an independent, comprehensive, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter ranking system portal. It is one of the sport's most recognized ranking websites. According to FightMatrix: "The rankings on thi ...

**Lineal MMA Lightweight Champion (One time, Former)

Submission grappling

World Jiu-Jitsu Championship The World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship (commonly known as the Worlds or Mundials) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament held once every year by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. It is widely considered to be the most important and ...

**2003 Purple Belt Peso Leve: 1st Place *

Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship The Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship (commonly known as the Brazilian Nationals) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) tournament that is held in Barueri, Brazil. They are hosted annually by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. ...

**2004 Brown Belt Peso Leve: 3rd Place **2005 Brown Belt Peso Leve: 3rd place * European Championship **2006 Black Belt Peso Leve: 3rd place

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Win , align=center, 32–14 ,

, Submission (neck crank) , UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:20 ,

Orlando, Florida Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 31–14 ,

, KO (punches) , UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Fiziev , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 0:18 ,

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 29–13 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. dos Santos , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 29–12 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 29–11 , Kevin Lee , Submission (arm-triangle choke) , UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 3:47 ,

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 28–11 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters Finale , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 28–10 ,

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Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 28–9 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. dos Anjos , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 27–9 ,

, Submission (arm-triangle choke) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:43 ,

Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchor ...

, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 26–9 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Kallang Kallang is a planning area and residential town located in the Central Region of Singapore. Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the longest river in Singapore. Kallang Planning Area is bounded by Toa Payoh in the no ...

, Singapore , , - , Loss , align=center, 25–9 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

, Mexico , , - , Loss , align=center, 25–8 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Alvarez , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:49 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 25–7 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:06 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 24–7 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 23–7 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 22–7 ,

, KO (punch) , UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. dos Anjos , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:32 ,

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 21–7 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:36 ,

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 20–7 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 20–6 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 19–6 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Rockhold , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Jaraguá do Sul Jaraguá do Sul () is a city in the north of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. History The city was founded on July 25, 1876, by engineer and Brazilian Army colonel Emílio Carlos Jourdan and his family. The city was originally named jus ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 18–6 ,

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Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 17–6 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC on Fuel TV: Muñoz vs. Weidman , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 16–6 ,

, Submission (rear-naked choke) , UFC on Fuel TV: The Korean Zombie vs. Poirier , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:40 ,

Fairfax, Virginia The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 15–6 ,

, Decision (split) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 15–5 ,

, KO (punch) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:59 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 14–5 ,

, Submission (jaw injury) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 1:51 ,

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 14–4 ,

, Submission (armbar) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:30 ,

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...

, United Arab Emirates , , - , Win , align=center, 13–4 , Kyle Bradley , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Maynard vs. Diaz , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–4 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–4 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Condit vs. Kampmann , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–3 , Jeremy Stephens , KO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 0:39 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–2 ,

Takafumi Otsuka Takafumi Otsuka (born August 22, 1986) is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He competed in the bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2006, Otsuka is a two-time DEEP Bantamweight Champion ...

, Decision (split) , Fury FC 6: High Voltage , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 10–2 , Takaichi Hirayama , Submission (armbar) , Pancrase: Shining 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:25 ,

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 9–2 , Gabriel Veiga , Decision (unanimous) , Fury FC 5: Final Conflict , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 8–2 , Danilo Cherman , Submission (kimura) , Fury FC 4: High Voltage , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:38 ,

Teresópolis Teresópolis (, , , ) is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in a mountainous region known as ''Região Serrana''. The Serra dos Órgãos National Park lies partly within the city limits. The city is known as the hom ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 7–2 , Maurício Souza , Submission (rear-naked choke) , rowspan=2, XFC Brazil , rowspan=2, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:24 , rowspan=2,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 6–2 , Thiago Minu , Submission (rear-naked choke) , align=center, 1 , align=center, 7:28 , , - , Win , align=center, 5–2 ,

Johil de Oliveira Johil de Oliveira (born August 7, 1969) is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial arts veteran fighter, Luta Livre practitioner and referee who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and Brazilian-based organizations such ...

, Submission (rear-naked choke) , Juiz de Fora Fight 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:50 ,

Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora (, '' Outsider Judge''), also known as J.F., is a city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, approximately from the state border with Rio de Janeiro. According to 2020 estimates the current population is about 57 ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 4–2 , Mateus Trindade , Decision (unanimous) , Shooto Brazil 11 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 3–2 , Diogo Oliveira , Submission (armbar) , Top Fighter MMA 2 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, N/A ,

, Brazil , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–2 , Jorge Britto , Decision (split) , Arena BH Combat , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte (, ; ) is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropol ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Felipe Arinelli , TKO (doctor stoppage) , Juiz de Fora Fight 2 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, N/A ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 1–1 , João Paulo Almeida , Decision (unanimous) , Arena BH , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Brazil , , - , Loss , align=center, 0–1 , Adriano Abu , Decision (split) , Juiz de Fora Fight 1 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Brazil ,

References

External links

*
Official UFC Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anjos, Rafael Dos American male mixed martial artists Brazilian male mixed martial artists American Muay Thai practitioners Brazilian Muay Thai practitioners American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brazilian emigrants to the United States Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Hispanic and Latino American sportspeople Lightweight mixed martial artists Welterweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing Muay Thai Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Living people 1984 births People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship champions Brazilian Christians Sportspeople from Niterói Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters Naturalized citizens of the United States

Early life

Mixed martial arts career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

UFC Lightweight Championship

Post championship

Move to Welterweight

Return to Lightweight

Return to Welterweight

Fighting style

Personal life

Championships and achievements

Submission grappling

Mixed martial arts record

See also

References

External links