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MMA Fighters on the ring photo by Vladyslav Lohvin-

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Rafael dos Anjos

Rafael Souza dos Anjos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist whose name is most favored by MMA fans.

He was born and raised in Brazil and was a difficult child, who later found peace in practicing Jiu-jitsu and championed several Jiu-jitsu competitions.

He currently competes in the lightweight division and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Rafael is a disciplined martial artist who takes pride in his work and has attracted millions of fans all over the world.

He has a unique fighting style that allows him to tackle any opponent with sincerity and has ended up with titles such as Fight of the night, Submission of the Night, and Performance of the Night.

Here are the top 10 outstanding facts about Rafael dos Anjos

1. He has skipped school to learn MMA

Dos Anjos was a hyperactive child just like many other children and he was eight years old when his sight was captivated and detained by martial arts.

He was fond of watching his cousin Rio de Janeiro, who would train at Capoeira at the Henrique Lage school.

He was so smitten with martial arts that he would skip classes for it, while his mother spent all day at work to provide for the family.

The mother failed to notice how her son changed his routine for months to accommodate and entertain his new hobby.

Anjos stated, “I think I spent months without going to school for classes and instead walked straight by it to go train in Jiu -Jitsu“.

His first Jiu- Jitsu teacher was the first to bring his attention to fighting. Once a week the teacher would provide the kids with gloves and let them fight on the mat.

2. He has a metallic jaw

Most MMA are known for their resilience and strong body and many people compare their bodies to steel, but in the case of Rafael, it’s somewhat true.

During his 2010 bout against Clay Guida, Rafael broke his jaw in the very first minute of the fight, he was overpowered by submission.

Though he obtained an injury he persevered and survived for three more rounds in the fight before he gives in.

Rafael has had screws and titanium plates installed in his jaw ever since and on multiple occasions, he claimed that the metal has given him an unfair advantage over other opponents.

Doctors refute his claim as the metal pieces in his face aren’t big enough for anyone to break their hand. The screws and plates are medical implants that measure in Millimetres.

3.He was the first fighter to knock out the great Benson Henderson

The biggest victory for Rafael came when he faced the great Benson Henderson, the former lightweight champion.

He shocked the world at UFC Night 49 when he starched the former lightweight champion, Benson in the first round.

The victory was one of the most significant wins Rafael made in his mixed martial arts career and it was a crippling loss for Henderson.

4.He was the second fighter to spend 7 hours in the UFC Octagon

Rafael dos Anjos faced Paul’s fielder in a UFC fight when his scheduled opponent canceled the appointed fight.

Rafael became the only second fighter in UFC history to spend more than seven hours inside the Octagon. Ahead of him was the former lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar.

Despite a sixteen-month layoff, Rafael made a quickly transformed impression on many of his fans with the fight of the night award win over Paul fielder.

5.He was known best for his aggressive fighting style

Turkish mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter photo by sherdog.com-

Rafael has gathered a large fan base thanks to his fighting style that is best put as aggressive, high volume, physical strength, and a string strike down takedown capability.

His Muay Thai stance often comes out aggressive and he then uses faints and kicks to back his opponent against the cage while swarming them with bouts of punches as well as takedowns.

He is especially known 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.

Dos Anjos developed a refined boxing game in 2017 after he was vigorously and persistently trained by the trainer, Jason Parillo.

He is appreciated on the ground for his powerful ground and pound, which includes punches and sharp elbow strikes. He formerly trained at King MMA but left after losing to Eddie Alvarez.

6.His wife was a ring girl when they first met

Dos Anjos met his wife Cristiane during an event in Brazil, where Cristiane was a ring girl and also the producer of the event.

She was required to call Dos Anjos name but instead of pronouncing it as Anjos, she spelled it, Santos, this was the beginning of their beautiful relationship.

The couple has been married for more than a decade and their bonding has grown enormously. When Rafael was falling into the pits of career failure it was his wife Cristine that supported and anchored him through his tough times.

Rafael once mentioned that it was after Cristiane came into his life that he got serious about relationships.

Cristiane often comes to the stadium to support Rafael in his fights and is responsible for his meals during his preparation for a fight.

 7.He has become a naturalized U.S citizen

Rafael though a Brazilian by birth gained his U.S citizenship on December 20, 2019, the martial artist revealed the great news on his social account.

“Though not originally from the U.S I am grateful that this country allows me to do what I love, to fight”.

8.He was diagnosed with a sports hernia

Dos Anjos was afflicted with acute pain in the pelvis for eleven months and decided to seek help from Dr. Rickson Moraes in Brazil.

He was diagnosed with a sports hernia, which is an injury to a tendon or muscle in the lower abdomen that causes chronic pain.

The injury can be caused by repetitive movements, twisting the body, and sudden changes in direction. Rafael underwent surgery and physiotherapy before returning to the fighting scene.

9.He has a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt

Fabiano_Souza_jiu-jitsu_black_belt_6th_degree photo by GUSTAVOMULLER-

Rafael is not only an accomplished professional mixed martial artist but also an accomplished black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu -Jitsu is a combo sport and martial arts based on ground fighting and submission holds. It focuses on the skill of taking an opponent, gaining a dominant position, and using several techniques to force opponents into submission via joint locks.

He was awarded his black belt in 2005, and it was then he decided to enter the IBJJF European Open the following year, earning a bronze medal in an eccentric display.

10.He has become an instructor in mixed martial arts

Nyc-boxing-coach-tribeca photo by Iamragnorak-

Rafael has become an instructor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore on a seasonal basis. He has been part of the evolve team since 2009, where he also used to train during his Champion years.

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is a chain of martial arts academies founded by Chatri Sityodtong. In his quest to keep learning and evolving he splits his time between Evolve MMA and California for training and fights camp.