Rafael dos Anjos
Active 2008–present · rated in 6 editions across 2 divisions · peak overall 90.0
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Rafael dos Anjos at lightweight
Scouting report
The defining lightweight performance came in March 2015 — a five-round decision over Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 that made Rafael dos Anjos the undisputed lightweight champion. Born in Niteroi, Brazil, and representing Nova Uniao and Kings MMA, "RDA" built the case in 2014 with a knockout of Benson Henderson and a decision win over Nate Diaz before the Pettis fight, then defended the belt with a 66-second finish of Donald Cerrone that July. Across five lightweight editions (EA 1 through UFC 5), dos Anjos held a consistent 85 Overall. The 90 Cardio is his defining attribute: his pressure starts in round one and holds through five.
Peak ratings
By edition
Dos Anjos lost a decision to Khabib Nurmagomedov in April 2014, then won four straight: Jason High by TKO, Benson Henderson by first-round knockout in Tulsa, Nate Diaz by decision in Phoenix and Anthony Pettis over five rounds at UFC 185 in March 2015 to take the lightweight title. He defended it with a first-round TKO of Donald Cerrone that December. His pace, pressure boxing, and wrestling control justify his 88 Boxing and 94 Cardio.
After dropping the lightweight belt to Eddie Alvarez in July 2016 and losing a five-round battle to Tony Ferguson in Mexico City, Dos Anjos moved up to welterweight in 2017, defeating Tarec Saffiedine, submitting Neil Magny with an arm-triangle in 3:43, and dominating Robbie Lawler over five rounds in Winnipeg. His pace, pressure boxing, and wrestling control justify his 88 Boxing and 92 Cardio.
Returning to lightweight in November 2020 at UFC Fight Night 182 in Las Vegas, Dos Anjos put on a five-round striking clinic to defeat Paul Felder by split decision, followed by an extended recovery layoff. His frame, positional wrestling, and composed striking pressure anchor his 86 Boxing and 84 Wrestling ratings.
Dos Anjos remained active across lightweight and welterweight between 2022 and 2024, submitting Bryan Barberena with a neck crank in Orlando and competing against Rafael Fiziev, Vicente Luque, and Mateusz Gamrot. His fight intelligence, clinch wrestling, and standup defense maintain his 84 Boxing and 88 Fight IQ ratings.
Rafael dos Anjos, the lightweight who changed his whole game
Rafael dos Anjos is a Brazilian fighter who spent years as a solid contender before a major change in his training. In 2015 he won the lightweight title from Anthony Pettis, then defended it against Donald Cerrone with a first-round TKO. Eddie Alvarez took the belt from him in 2016. He is one of the most complete lightweights of his era.
dos Anjos, rating by rating
Boxing. Very good. He throws with power and accuracy, mixing body shots with head shots.
Kickboxing. Also very good. His Muay Thai is strong, with heavy leg kicks.
Wrestling. Strong. He can take a man down or stop a takedown with equal ease.
BJJ. His best technical skill. He has a black belt and a real submission threat.
Strength. His lowest number, but still strong. He is powerful, though he is not the strongest lightweight.
Durability. Very good. He can take punches and keep moving forward.
Cardio. His best number. He is relentless for five rounds.
Fight IQ. Excellent. He has learned from his losses and changes his plan mid-fight.
Cardio is his engine
His cardio is the top number in the peak card. It is the reason he could push a five-round pace, and the reason opponents seemed to wilt against him. Draft him if you want a fighter that will still be dangerous in round five.
Strength is the smallest gap: Strength
Strength is his lowest number on the peak card. A bigger, stronger opponent can push him around, particularly in the clinch. Pair him with someone who can add force to your build.
Rafael dos Anjos at welterweight
Scouting report
Rafael dos Anjos appeared at welterweight in the EA 3 (2018) edition only, following a division move driven by a persistent 155-pound weight cut. At 170, his 87 Overall reflected a competitive contender who defeated Neil Magny, Robbie Lawler, and Carlos Condit before dropping a five-round decision to Colby Covington for the interim title at UFC 225. From Niterói, Brazil, dos Anjos carried an 84 Boxing, 80 BJJ, and a 90 Cardio rating that matched his lightweight numbers into the larger weight class.
Peak ratings
Dos Anjos at 170: a former champion in a bigger division
Dos Anjos moved to welterweight in 2017, after losing his lightweight title to Eddie Alvarez and then a decision to Tony Ferguson. He started with a decision over Tarec Saffiedine, and in September he submitted Neil Magny with an arm-triangle choke in the first round. In December 2017 he beat Robbie Lawler over five rounds in a title eliminator, with a plan built on low kicks and constant combinations to the body. That earned an interim title fight with Colby Covington in June 2018. He lost it on the scorecards, then lost another decision to Kamaru Usman at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale.
Dos Anjos at welterweight, attribute by attribute
Boxing. 86. He has trained with striking coach Jason Parillo.
Kickboxing. 88. He is known for a left kick to the body and right hook to the head.
Wrestling. 82. Still a high mark, and his style includes strong takedowns.
BJJ. 88. A black belt under Aldo Januario, with arm-triangle finishes over Magny and later Kevin Lee.
Strength. 82, matching his wrestling.
Durability. 84. He was stopped by Jeremy Stephens in his first fight in the promotion, but the later decisions show he can take a lot.
Cardio. 88. He went the full five rounds with both Lawler and Covington.
Fight IQ. 88. The plan against Lawler was clear and he carried it out.
Four ratings at 88 and a plan for every opponent
Kickboxing, BJJ, Cardio and Fight IQ all sit at 88, so there is no single spike. That is the point. Against Lawler he attacked the legs and body and took a unanimous decision. Against Magny he took a different route, and finished with an arm-triangle choke in the first round. Those wins are why this card rates so high. It suits a drafter who wants a fighter with several ways to win and no obvious hole in the standard rounds.
Wrestling and strength, level at 82
Wrestling and Strength both sit at 82, the joint lowest, and it is worth noting that a lowest mark of 82 is still high. The concern is only relative to his other numbers. His welterweight results had ups and downs. He lost decisions to Covington and Usman at the top, and later to Leon Edwards and Michael Chiesa. The fights he won at 170 tended to be the ones where his striking and submissions were doing the work, which is the part of the card that stands well above the lowest marks.
Keep exploring
Closest lightweight profiles to Rafael dos Anjos, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Tony Fergusonbest cardio 98 · weakest strength 82
- Benson Hendersonbest cardio 96 · weakest strength 84
- Charles Oliveirabest bjj 99 · weakest strength 84
- Renato Moicanobest bjj 92 · weakest strength 80
- Lightweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Welterweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Rafael dos Anjos's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Rafael dos Anjos into your build
Rafael dos Anjos enters the pool on any spin landing on lightweight or welterweight between 2014 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Rafael dos Anjos is regarded by the MMA community, with earlier MMA video games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Rafael dos Anjos's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read how we check our write-ups in our editorial standards.