Junior dos Santos
Active 2008–present · rated in 4 editions · peak overall 90.0
Scouting report
Knocking out Cain Velasquez in 64 seconds on network television at UFC on FOX 1 to capture the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship, Junior "Cigano" dos Santos possessed elite heavyweight boxing. Born in Cacador, Brazil, dos Santos surged through a nine-fight UFC winning streak behind overhand rights and uppercuts, his striking captured by a 95 Boxing, 92 Durability, and 90 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Dos Santos reached heavyweight supremacy from 2011 to 2013, knocking out Cain Velasquez in 64 seconds on network television at UFC on FOX 1 to capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship, defending against Frank Mir at UFC 146, and knocking out Mark Hunt with a spinning hook kick at UFC 160 in Las Vegas. His hand speed, overhand right power, and takedown defense are reflected in a 95 Boxing and 88 Cardio.
In December 2014 in Phoenix, Dos Santos engaged Stipe Miocic in a five-round fight, winning a hard-fought unanimous decision before dropping a stoppage defeat to Alistair Overeem at UFC on FOX 17 in Orlando. His boxing combinations, body hooks, and chin anchor his 94 Boxing and 86 Cardio.
Dos Santos delivered a boxing display across five rounds to defeat Ben Rothwell in Zagreb in April 2016, before challenging Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight championship in their UFC 211 rematch in Dallas, dropping a first-round TKO defeat. His footwork, heavy jab, and durable frame justify his 93 Boxing and 85 Fight IQ.
Dos Santos won three straight between 2018 and 2019, beating Blagoy Ivanov on a decision in Boise, stopping Tai Tuivasa in Adelaide and stopping Derrick Lewis in round two in Wichita, before dropping bouts to Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes. His boxing combinations and sprawl defense anchor his 92 Boxing and 84 Cardio.
Junior dos Santos and the boxing that ended a 64 second night
Junior dos Santos was the heavyweight who made clean, fast boxing look like a cheat code. In November 2011 he knocked out Cain Velasquez in 64 seconds to win the title, and he followed that with a stoppage of Frank Mir in his first defense. Later came the spinning wheel kick that finished Mark Hunt in 2013. He is the pick when you want a heavyweight who wins standing up and does not need help from a grappler.
How the dos Santos ratings break down
Boxing. The best number on his card. Jab, overhand right and a habit of turning the body into a hook made him hard to time.
Kickboxing. Good, not a specialty. He mostly kicked to change the look of a fight, and the wheel kick against Hunt was the exception.
Wrestling. Better than people remember. His sprawl and balance kept strong wrestlers from putting him on his back for long.
BJJ. The softest part of his game. He rarely wanted to be on the mat and he did not chase submissions.
Strength. Heavy hands for a man who moved this quickly. He carried his power into every exchange.
Durability. Took heavy shots from big men and stayed upright. Later losses to Velasquez in 2012 and to Overeem in 2015 showed there was a limit.
Cardio. Strong for five rounds. The 2014 war with Stipe Miocic went the distance and he won it.
Fight IQ. Smart about range and angles. He knew when to let the right hand go and when to hold it back.
Boxing is the reason he is on your card
A 95 in Boxing puts him at the top of the heavyweight pool for straight striking. Against anyone who wants to trade, he is the favourite, and against anyone who wants to wrestle, his sprawl gives him time to land something before the fight moves. If your lineup lacks a reliable knockout threat, he supplies one.
The floor game is where he can be dragged
BJJ is his lowest rating at 76, and it is the honest weak spot. A heavyweight with real submission skill can accept a few punches, get the fight down and start hunting. Cover it with a fighter whose BJJ sits in the nineties, or accept that he needs his sprawl to work every time.
Keep exploring
Closest heavyweight profiles to Junior dos Santos, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Stipe Miocicbest boxing 93 · weakest bjj 80
- Francis Ngannoubest strength 99 · weakest bjj 74
- Sergei Pavlovichbest strength 96 · weakest bjj 68
- Cain Velasquezbest wrestling 96 · weakest kickboxing 80
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Junior dos Santos's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft Junior dos Santos into your build
Junior dos Santos enters the pool on any spin landing on heavyweight between 2010 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Junior dos Santos is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Junior dos Santos's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.