Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos went from a purple belt world title in 2003 to the UFC lightweight title in 2015, and now teaches jiu-jitsu at his own academy in Austin.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Sherdog, fighter profile ‘Rafael dos Anjos’ (Fight Finder).(opens in a new tab)
His year of birth is 1984.
Where in the source: Profile header, age line — ‘OCT 26, 1984’
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His professional MMA debut came on 25 September 2004 at Juiz de Fora – Fight 1, a split-decision loss to Adriano Abu.
Where in the source: Fight History – Pro, oldest row — ‘Juiz de Fora - Fight 1’
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Sherdog's fighter profile lists him under Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, with a birth date of 26 October 1984.
Where in the source: Profile header (country and city) and age line — ‘OCT 26, 1984’
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Sherdog's fight history shows 11 wins and 2 losses in his professional bouts before his UFC debut, from September 2004 to July 2008.
Where in the source: Fight History – Pro, the 13 rows dated before UFC 91 (15 November 2008).
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In 2008 he won by first-round armbar over Takaichi Hirayama at Pancrase – Shining 5 (1 June) and by split decision over Takafumi Otsuka at Fury FC 6 (12 July), his last bouts before joining the UFC.
Where in the source: Fight History – Pro, rows dated Jun 01 2008 and Jul 12 2008 — ‘Pancrase - Shining 5’
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BJJ Heroes, ‘Rafael dos Anjos’ (published 12 May 2010, updated 15 March 2015).(opens in a new tab)
Rafael dos Anjos holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph (first sentence), which introduces him as a UFC fighter and a jiu-jitsu black belt.
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BJJ Heroes lists him as a black belt under Aldo Januário and says he represented Gracie Barra in sport jiu-jitsu competition for years.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph — ‘under Aldo Januário’
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His full name is Rafael Souza dos Anjos.
Where in the source: Fact list under the jiu-jitsu heading, the full-name line.
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Born on 26 October 1984 in Rio de Janeiro, he grew up mainly in Niterói, where his training began.
Where in the source: Biography section, first paragraph (birth date, city and childhood home) — ‘26 of October’
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According to BJJ Heroes, his interest in jiu-jitsu began when he saw Rickson Gracie's victory at Vale Tudo Japan on television.
Where in the source: Biography section, first paragraph, on what first drew him to the art — ‘Rickson Gracie’
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- Conflicting accounts
BJJ Heroes says he started training in 1997, aged 13, at a nearby gym run by Roberto Barradas, and stayed there until he was 16 and had earned his blue belt.
Where in the source: Biography section, second paragraph — ‘Roberto Barradas’
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Once he had his blue belt, he moved with his family to Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and there met Aldo ‘Caveirinha’ Januário at an academy affiliated with Gracie Barra; BJJ Heroes says Januário became his master.
Where in the source: Biography section, third paragraph — ‘Belo Horizonte’
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BJJ Heroes credits him with several blue-belt titles, among them a national junior-division title, and says that at purple belt he won the Rio de Janeiro state championship before his world title.
Where in the source: Biography section, fourth paragraph — ‘Junior Division’
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BJJ Heroes dates his black belt to 2005.
Where in the source: Biography section, closing sentence of the paragraph on the brown-belt national medals — ‘in 2005’
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In 2006 he went to Germany, where he taught a few seminars and placed third in the black belt lightweight division of the European Open.
Where in the source: Biography section, paragraph opening with 2006 — ‘Germany’
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After the 2006 European championship he shifted his focus to MMA and moved to Rio de Janeiro to train with Gracie Fusion, which BJJ Heroes describes as Gracie Barra's professional MMA team; in 2008 he fought abroad for the first time, at a Pancrase event in Japan.
Where in the source: Biography section, paragraph after the European tournament — ‘Gracie Fusion’
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BJJ Heroes gives his lineage as Mitsuyo Maeda, Carlos Gracie Sr., Carlos Gracie Jr., Aldo Januário, Rafael dos Anjos, and names the armbar and a passing game built on the knee slide as his favourite techniques.
Where in the source: Fact list under the jiu-jitsu heading, lineage line and favourite-technique line — ‘Knee Slide’
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BJJ Heroes, ‘Aldo Januário: If Rafael doesn't win I will change my name to Maria’ (12 February 2016).(opens in a new tab)
Introducing its 2016 interview with Aldo ‘Caveirinha’ Januário, BJJ Heroes described him as one of the jiu-jitsu pioneers in Belo Horizonte and called dos Anjos his black belt.
Where in the source: Introductory paragraphs above the first question, written by BJJ Heroes — ‘pioneers in Belo Horizonte’
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Januário said his curriculum includes self-defence and a lot of no-gi training, and that dos Anjos had always wanted to fight in MMA, which made it simpler to plan how he should develop.
Where in the source: Answer to the question about students succeeding in MMA — ‘a lot of no-gi’
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Januário credited the foundation he gave dos Anjos, together with the support of Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa and Rafael Cordeiro, and said that Philipe ‘Furão’ Della Monica, who had also started with Januário as a young boy, was now another black belt behind him.
Where in the source: Same answer, closing passage on Gordo, Cordeiro and Della Monica — ‘solid foundation’
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IBJJF, official results: World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2003.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2003 IBJJF World Championship he won the adult male purple belt lightweight division, listed with Caveirinha Team.
Where in the source: Results page, category ‘Adult / Purple / Male / Light’, place 1, academy ‘Caveirinha Team’.
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IBJJF, official results: Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2004.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2004 Brazilian National Championship he took one of the two bronze medals in the adult male brown belt lightweight division, listed as Rafael Souza dos Anjos of Caveirinha Team.
Where in the source: Results page, category ‘Adult / Brown / Male / Light’, place 3, academy ‘Caveirinha Team’.
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IBJJF, official results: Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2005.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2005 Brazilian National Championship he took one of the two bronze medals in the adult male brown belt middleweight division, again for Caveirinha Team.
Where in the source: Results page, category ‘Adult / Brown / Male / Middle’, place 3, academy ‘Caveirinha Team’.
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IBJJF, official results: European Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2006.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2006 IBJJF European Championship he took one of the two bronze medals in the adult male black belt lightweight division, listed with Gracie Barra.
Where in the source: Results page, category ‘Adult / Black / Male / Light’, place 3, academy ‘Gracie Barra’.
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Treino duro, luta fácil: as lições de Jiu-Jitsu do campeão do UFC Rafael dos Anjos’ (22 May 2015; interview from GRACIEMAG #218).(opens in a new tab)
In a GRACIEMAG interview after winning the UFC title, dos Anjos said that when he was young he competed in a great many jiu-jitsu championships and did little else, but that he competed less at black belt because he was already trying to earn a living from MMA.
Where in the source: Q&A, answer on how jiu-jitsu championships shaped him (Portuguese) — ‘eu só fazia isso’
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He named his purple belt world title at lightweight, won after six fights, as a title he holds dear.
Where in the source: Same answer, closing sentence — ‘após seis lutas’
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He described his jiu-jitsu philosophy as dealing with very skilful opponents by putting them under constant pressure, and said he does not regard himself as naturally skilful.
Where in the source: First answer, on the lesson behind the Pettis win — ‘impondo muita pressão’
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Describing the title fight with Anthony Pettis, he said his plan was to give Pettis neither time nor space and to keep walking forward when hit, and that he only relaxed after taking Pettis's back and locking a body triangle in the fifth round, with about 20 seconds left.
Where in the source: First and second answers, on the Pettis fight — ‘nunca para trás’
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He said that about a month before the title fight he hurt his knee in training and an exam showed a partial tear of the collateral ligament; in the first week afterwards he could only box, and in the second he did only light jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Answer to the question about the knee injury — ‘rompimento parcial’
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Asked about staying loyal to his jiu-jitsu teacher Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa while learning from new coaches such as Rafael Cordeiro, he said he is faithful to both, that training at only one school no longer makes sense at the sport's current level, and that learning never ends.
Where in the source: Last question and answer of the interview — ‘fiel ao meu mestre, Gordo’
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GRACIEMAG noted that the Pettis bout was his first five-round fight; he said he had been in the UFC for more than six years and had 17 UFC fights before getting his title shot.
Where in the source: Question and answer on his stamina over five rounds — ‘17 lutas’
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By 2015 he was based in California; he told GRACIEMAG that for the previous three years he had reinvested everything he earned in training and in building up his career, and that life in California is not cheap.
Where in the source: Answer to the question on financial comfort as champion — ‘Califórnia’
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UFC.com, athlete profile ‘Rafael dos Anjos’ (Info: Bio, Fighter Facts, UFC History, Q&A).(opens in a new tab)
He made his UFC debut at UFC 91 on 15 November 2008 and was knocked out by Jeremy Stephens in the third round, then lost a decision to Tyson Griffin on 1 April 2009 before his first UFC win, a unanimous decision over Robert Emerson at UFC 103 on 19 September 2009.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, the three oldest entries (UFC 91, UFC Fight Night 4/1/09, UFC 103).
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Asked by the UFC when and why he started training for fighting, he said he became interested as a teenager after watching classes and videos, and decided then that fighting was what he wanted.
Where in the source: Info section, Q&A tab, first question — ‘watched some classes and videos’
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In his UFC questionnaire he said his job before he started fighting was jiu-jitsu instructor.
Where in the source: Q&A tab, question on his job before fighting — ‘jiu-jitsu instructor’
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His UFC questionnaire lists among his titles the UFC lightweight championship, a Fury FC title and the title of Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion, along with his BJJ black belt, and names the arm lock as his favourite grappling technique and low kicks as his favourite strike.
Where in the source: Q&A tab, questions on ranks/titles and favourite techniques — ‘Fury FC champion’
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His first UFC submission win was an armbar against Terry Etim at UFC 112 on 10 April 2010; at UFC 117 on 7 August 2010 he lost to Clay Guida by submission due to injury in the third round.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entries for UFC 112 and UFC 117.
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Before his title shot, his UFC record included decision wins over Donald Cerrone (August 2013) and Nate Diaz (December 2014), a first-round knockout of Benson Henderson (August 2014) and a decision loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov (April 2014).
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entries dated 8/28/13, 4/19/14, 8/23/14 and 12/13/14.
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On 14 March 2015 at UFC 185 he took the UFC lightweight title by beating Anthony Pettis on a unanimous decision after five rounds.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entry for UFC 185 (3/14/15).
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He retained the title on 19 December 2015 by stopping Donald Cerrone with strikes 1:06 into the first round, and lost it on 7 July 2016 when Eddie Alvarez stopped him with strikes in the first round.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entries dated 12/19/15 and 7/7/16; Fighter Facts list says he defended the title once.
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At welterweight he beat Tarec Saffiedine (June 2017), submitted Neil Magny with an arm-triangle choke (September 2017) and outpointed Robbie Lawler over five rounds (December 2017), then lost a five-round decision to Colby Covington for the interim UFC welterweight title at UFC 225 on 9 June 2018.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entries from 6/17/17 to 6/9/18 — ‘interim UFC welterweight title’
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Later UFC submission wins include an arm-triangle choke on Kevin Lee in the fourth round (May 2019) and a neck crank on Bryan Barberena in the second round (December 2022).
Where in the source: UFC History tab, entries dated 5/18/19 and 12/3/22.
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His most recent listed bout, at UFC 332 on 3 October 2026, ended with Alexander Hernandez stopping him with strikes in the second round.
Where in the source: UFC History tab, newest entry (10/3/26).
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The UFC's fighter facts credit him with 11 professional wins by submission — four rear-naked chokes, three armbars, two arm-triangle chokes, a neck crank and a kimura — and say he has been a professional since 2004.
Where in the source: Fighter Facts tab, first two items — ‘11 by submission’
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As listed on 6 October 2026, his professional MMA record stood at 32 wins and 18 losses.
Where in the source: Athlete header — record line ‘32-18-0 (W-L-D)’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Dos Anjos, a disputa do cinturão e a lição número 1 do Jiu-Jitsu: não desistir’ (14 March 2015).(opens in a new tab)
GRACIEMAG reported that he broke his jaw in his 2010 loss to Clay Guida. Rafael ‘Gordinho’ Correa, one of his coaches and the brother of Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa, recalled that while dos Anjos was recovering from the fracture in Singapore he talked about quitting MMA for a more stable life teaching, and that Gordinho told him he would one day be UFC champion.
Where in the source: Middle of the article: the paragraph on 2010 and Gordinho's recollection that follows (Portuguese) — ‘Acho que vou parar’
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GRACIEMAG described him in March 2015 as an athlete formed by Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa who trained Muay Thai with Rafael Cordeiro of Kings MMA, and quoted Gordinho calling his ground game explosive, geared to MMA and equally strong in defence and attack.
Where in the source: Paragraphs after the 2010 anecdote — ‘formado por Roberto Gordo’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Ten years ago: watch Rubens Cobrinha vs Rafael dos Anjos in a Jiu-Jitsu match’ (27 December 2015).(opens in a new tab)
In 2005, when both were black belts and not yet well known, dos Anjos met Rubens ‘Cobrinha’ Charles in a jiu-jitsu match at the America Golden Cup in Rio de Janeiro; Cobrinha won.
Where in the source: Article text, first paragraph — ‘America Golden Cup’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Relembre a guerra sem kimono entre Rafael dos Anjos e Murilo Santana’ (16 March 2015).(opens in a new tab)
In 2009 he faced Murilo Santana in a no-gi match at the ADCC 2009 trials held in Rio de Janeiro, a bout GRACIEMAG says was decided only at the very end.
Where in the source: Second paragraph — ‘seletiva do ADCC 2009’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Artigo especial: Rafael dos Anjos, o endiabrado anjo do MMA’ (14 March 2015; first published in GRACIEMAG #215).(opens in a new tab)
A GRACIEMAG column from March 2015 says he arrived in the UFC with good jiu-jitsu but flawed striking, credits coach Rafael Cordeiro with transforming him, and notes that he also trained Muay Thai at Evolve MMA in Singapore while keeping up his jiu-jitsu with Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa.
Where in the source: Third and fourth paragraphs of the column — ‘Evolve MMA em Cingapura’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘Como o craque do Jiu-Jitsu e UFC Rafael dos Anjos pode inspirar você a melhorar sua carreira’ (7 June 2018; first published in GRACIEMAG #251).(opens in a new tab)
After losing the lightweight title, he moved up to welterweight; GRACIEMAG reports that making 70 kg had become increasingly hard for him, that he felt the cut was harming him, and that he believed he could last longer and hit harder at welterweight.
Where in the source: Paragraphs on his decision to change division — ‘categoria meio-médio’
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GRACIEMAG refers to him as a Brazilian in its 2018 feature on his move to welterweight.
Where in the source: Final paragraph, on becoming a two-division champion — ‘o primeiro brasileiro’
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GRACIEMAG, ‘UFC 215: Rafael dos Anjos finaliza com o Jiu-Jitsu; Amanda Nunes mantém cinturão’ (10 September 2017).(opens in a new tab)
At UFC 215 on 9 September 2017 he took Neil Magny down, settled in mount and finished him with an arm-triangle choke (kata-gatame) in the first round, earning a performance bonus.
Where in the source: Third and fourth paragraphs, on the co-main event — ‘kata-gatame’
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UFC.com, ‘Rafael dos Anjos busca uma grande finalização contra Kyle Bradley’ (11 January 2010).(opens in a new tab)
In January 2010 the UFC described him as a member of Gracie Fusion and a student of Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa who had trained at the Sityodtong academy in Singapore in October 2009; he said he was training Muay Thai with Vander Valverde and wrestling with Adrian Jaoude.
Where in the source: Middle paragraphs of the Portuguese article — ‘Vander Valverde’
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The same article says he fought six times in 2007, three of them in a single month and two on the same night.
Where in the source: Paragraph on his training rhythm since the Emerson fight — ‘duas na mesma noite’
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Before facing Kyle Bradley he said his first three UFC fights had forged his experience in the Octagon and that he would never forget his roots in jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Closing quotation of the article — ‘minhas raízes que são o jiu-jitsu’
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Lucas Rezende, ‘RDA parts ways with Kings MMA, wishes to start his own gym’, Bloody Elbow (31 October 2016), Internet Archive copy of 1 February 2023.(opens in a new tab)
In October 2016 dos Anjos told Combate that he had left Kings MMA, where he had prepared for his UFC title run, and that opening a gym of his own was a matter of time; Bloody Elbow reported the parting as friendly, and head coach Rafael Cordeiro counted ten fights and only two losses for dos Anjos during their partnership.
Where in the source: Archived article, quotations from dos Anjos and from Cordeiro — ‘it’s a matter of time’
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Rafael dos Anjos (@rdosanjosmma), Instagram post (August 2020).(opens in a new tab)
In an August 2020 Instagram post, dos Anjos announced that his jiu-jitsu coach and longtime friend Philipe ‘Furão’ had promoted him to the fourth degree on his black belt, tagging Gracie Barra's headquarters account.
Where in the source: Post caption by rdosanjosmma — ‘4th degree on my black belt’
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RDA Academy (Austin, Texas), ‘About RDA Academy’.(opens in a new tab)
RDA Academy in Austin, Texas, names Rafael dos Anjos as its founder and head instructor and says he brings his competitive experience to students from beginners to competitors.
Where in the source: About page, ‘Founder & Head Instructor’ section, closing paragraphs.
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- Conflicting accounts
The academy's biography says he started martial arts with Brazilian jiu-jitsu at eight and moved into MMA in 2004.
Where in the source: About page, first paragraph — ‘just 8 years old’
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Community Impact, ‘RDA Martial Arts Academy is now open in Northwest Austin’ (19 June 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Community Impact reported in June 2026 that RDA Martial Arts Academy, whose founder and head instructor is Rafael dos Anjos, opened in Northwest Austin on 1 June, teaching Muay Thai, kickboxing, self-defence and Brazilian jiu-jitsu to students as young as three.
Where in the source: Article body, opening paragraphs and the ‘Opened June 1’ line — ‘founder and head instructor’
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