Rafael dos Anjos News

Tom Taylor - January 14, 2018

When he defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision back in December, Rafael dos Anjos established himself as one of the top contenders in the stacked UFC welterweight division – perhaps the top contender outright. Since then, the Brazilian star has been angling for a title shot opposite reigning welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Woodley, meanwhile, has expressed interest in a number of other high-profile fighters, such as Georges St-Pierre and Conor McGregor, and simultaneously dismissed dos Anjos. Yet this doesn’t seem to have discouraged dos Anjos.

Justin Golightly - January 4, 2018

How we were able to get Robbie Lawler fighting both Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone and former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the same year is beyond our comprehension. Those are two fights anyone looked and and decided they were buying whatever card they were on immediately. Lawler and dos Anjos did not disappoint at UFC Winnipeg. It was a wild and brutal brawl that ended up with dos Anjos coming out on top with an unanimous decision. Unfortunately in the process, it looks like he injured Robbie Lawler’s knee. “The guy’s leg was destroyed. [Robbie Lawler] blew his ACL and meniscus and every other thing that’s in your knee out in like the third round. Wobbled over to the fence, laid against it, and asked [Rafael] dos Anjos to come in so they could just bang it out. Robbie Lawler went to the fifth round.” — Dana White speaking to YAHOO! Sport’s Kevin Iole.

Justin Golightly - January 3, 2018

Tyron Woodley is out recovering for his shoulder surgery, meanwhile the welterweights are all pacing back and forth to see who gets the next shot. Dana White went on record saying that the winner of Rafael dos Anjos and Robbie Lawler’s fight would get to fight Woodley for a title, after dos Anjos dominated the fight, it seemed like the next logical option. He still is campaigning for the shot while Tyron Woodley has other plans than the former lightweight champ and his boss: Georges St-Pierre, then dos Anjos. “I don’t see nobody ahead of me that deserve a next title shot, I’m former lightweight champion and I’ve been on the UFC for almost 10 years. 2017 was a great year and I’m looking forward for 2018.” — Rafael dos Anjos on Instagram.

Tom Taylor - December 19, 2017

Last Saturday night, the UFC touched down in snowy Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with UFC on Fox 26. In the card’s exciting main event, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos asserted himself as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, defeating former titleholder Robbie Lawler with a dominant, unanimous decision win. Shortly after this breakthrough win, dos Anjos received a callout from fellow welterweight contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, who called him out for a title eliminator bout to establish a true number-one-contender.

Tom Taylor - December 18, 2017

On Saturday night, in the main event of the stacked UFC on Fox 26, former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos established himself as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders by dominating Robbie Lawler to a unanimous decision win. In fact, dos Anjos could easily be the next man in line for UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley. He certainly believes he’s earned the chance. “I’m able to wait for him,” Rafael dos Anjos told the media at the UFC on Fox 26 post-fight press conference, assuring he’s willing to wait for a crack at the champ (h/t MMAFighting). “I think I did enough in the division to deserve the title shot. And I’m not a guy that talks so much, try to get that title shot because I’m talking bad about people, cursing people. I just go there and do a great performance like I did tonight. I hope so. Dana White said that. That’s what I hope.”

Chris Taylor - December 17, 2017

Stephen Thompson sends a message to Rafael dos Anjos following UFC on FOX 26. Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos improved his welterweight record to a perfect 3-0 by earning a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC on FOX 26 last night in Winnipeg.

Chris Taylor - December 17, 2017

Tyron Woodley explains why he was not impressed by Rafael dos Anjos’ performance at UFC on FOX 26 in Winnipeg. The former lightweight champion, Dos Anjos, put on a masterful performance against former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC on FOX 26 last night, earning a lopsided decision victory.

Tom Taylor - December 17, 2017

On Saturday night, the UFC touched down in snowy Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with UFC on Fox 26. In the card’s exciting main event, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos asserted himself as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, defeating former titleholder Robbie Lawler with a dominant, unanimous decision win. Not everyone, of course, was impressed by dos Anjos’ huge win. Colby Covington – who is really the only other man with legitimate claim to a welterweight title shot – quickly took to Twitter post-fight to discredit his rival’s win.

Tom Taylor - December 16, 2017

On Saturday night, the UFC touched down in snowy Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with UFC on Fox 26. In the card’s exciting main event, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos asserted himself as one of the welterweight division’s top contenders, defeating former titleholder Robbie Lawler with a dominant, unanimous decision win. Unsurprisingly, dos Anjos’ masterful performance generated some interesting reactions from the MMA community. See the best of these reactions below!

Justin Golightly - December 13, 2017

After back-to-back losses at lightweight and losing his UFC title, Rafael dos Anjos abandoned the division and decided to move up to welterweight. It was something he was thinking about even before his victory over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The experiment has been successful so far. He’s earned wins over Tarec Saffiedine and Neil Magny in a Performance of the Night. He recently opened up about his rejuvenation and upcoming bout with Robbie Lawler and is hyped up for a good old school battle between two gamers. “I can live. I can eat normal. I don’t have to have that feeling after having my meal of still being hungry. Now, if I feel hungry I can eat again if I want. […] Before, 70 to 80 percent of my camp was focused on losing weight and being stressed out about making weight. Now, I still have to cut some weight, but it’s way easier. I can have a normal life, I can enjoy my life and my training and put a hundred percent of the work into my technique and training and not just losing weight and being stressed out. It’s been a very good moment for me. I’ve been around for so long, but I’ve never been as happy as I am now.”

Justin Golightly - December 9, 2017

Colby Covington has been making a case for a shot at welterweight champion Tyron Woodley for awhile now, but it’s been more than just talk. He did end up with a win over the last title challenger in grappling guru Demian Maia. This only heated up his rampage promotional tour to make sure Woodley, and every other welterweight for that matter, knew he was the new man to beat at 170-pounds. His relentless tirade looks like it has resulted in a roster-wide blocking on social media. You can block it on twitter but the chaos sensation is sweeping the world!!! It can’t be stopped!!! pic.twitter.com/ks0T2c3AWn

Russell Ess - December 8, 2017

Big news for the UFC middleweight division was dropped late Thursday as the UFC announced that Georges St-Pierre vacated his newly captured middleweight title. With St-Pierre vacating the title, UFC interim middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was deemed the undisputed champion and former champ Luke Rockhold is now challenging Whittaker for the belt at UFC 221 in February. While Dana White may not be so happy about GSP’s decision to leave the middleweight division, former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos praised “Rush” for his quick decision to drop his new title.

Justin Golightly - October 20, 2017

Say what you will about Tyron Woodley, but you can’t deny the man his due. He took the welterweight title away from Robbie Lawler in just over two minutes. Since then, he’s defended it three times against the very best in the division. He eyed a superfight with Georges St-Pierre, but was overlooked for Michael Bisping. In his own division, former opponent Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos will duke it out to see who gets to challenge him next. As for now, Woodley is nursing his shoulder back to health so he’s content to ‘watch the throne’ to see how everything unfolds. Great reference by the way, Woodley. “I think it’s a great match-up. If they’re on and they fight hard and they fight the way that they we know they can, it could be an amazing fight. But one person steps forward and decides to not be the vicious fighter they’re known to be — they’ve had nights off, so. My thoughts is, I don’t have a lot of thoughts about it. The division is crazy right now.I’m going to watch ti from the throne. I’m going to watch all the guys compete against each other. There are seven very, very meaningful match-ups in the welterweight division. It’s the toughest division in the world, so it’s an exiting moment for me to watch to see who emerges. I know Dana White said that RDA versus Robbie Lawler dictates who I fight next, I don’t have an issue with that. Obviously we’re in the sport of mixed martial arts where crazy things happen, big fights arrive and they may take precedence over that.”

Justin Golightly - October 13, 2017

Yesterday, we got an incredible fight announced. Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will walk into Canada to fight former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. If that wasn’t big enough, dos Anjos immediately took to Twitter and wanted it promoted to a fight for the interim welterweight title. Tyron Woodley did not agree and issued a statement shutting that business down. It looks like the UFC agreed as well, but RDA may get something just as good. Dana White says at #UFC217 presser that winner of Robbie Lawler vs RDA gets the title shot at Woodley but we all know how that goes.

Justin Golightly - October 12, 2017

More announcements are pouring in for those end of the year UFC cards. A huge one just dropped not even an hour ago, pitting former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, against former UFC welterweight champion, Robbie Lawler. It’s a fight that almost seems too good to be true. However, no sooner did we report on the fight with Rafael dos Anjos, he took to Twitter to try and up the stakes for their scrap on December 16th. Am’I the only one that thinks that this fight should be for a interim title? Since the champ is out until next year?

Justin Golightly - October 3, 2017

Rafael dos Anjos’ run in the welterweight division much like his former opponent “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone. He’s taken out Tarec Saffiedine and Neil Magny, and he’s not even close to slowing down. Kamaru Usman was campaigning for a fight with dos Anjos after destroying Sergio Moraes at UFC Fight Night 116. However, dos Anjos is looking to take advantage of his name and quick rise in his new division for a shot at Tyron Woodley. “I just beat the No. 6 in the division and I’m currently at No. 5, it doesn’t make any sense to fight the No. 10 [Kamaru Usman]. I understand that everyone is trying to promote themselves to get interesting fights, but I’m worried about fighters who are ahead of me. Even [Tyron Woodley]’s manager said I deserve to fight for the title. So, I don’t know why he’s worried about me.”

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Earlier this month, UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby made the surprising admission that, if Demian Maia couldn’t be ready in time to battle welterweight champ Tyron Woodley at UFC 214, the title shot would have gone to former UFC lightweight king Rafael Dos Anjos. “What’s interesting about this [dos Anjos vs. Magny] fight is that we obviously had the fight with Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia, and there was some question… Tyron’s team made it public that Tyron was fighting on this card, and Maia wasn’t initially sure he could do it,” Shelby explained. “The guy waiting there for that fight was RDA. He had already accepted the fight with Tyron had Maia not been able to do it.”

Tom Taylor - September 10, 2017

Last night, the UFC touched down in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with UFC 215. In the co-main event of this anticipated card, former UFC lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos took his second fight at welterweight, this time battling long-time contender Neil Magny. Though Magny towered over Dos Anjos, the former lightweight champ made this one look easy. The Brazilian wasted no time grounding the fight, at which point he climbed into position to lock up an arm-triangle choke, and ultimately, the tap. Just like that, the former lightweight king is a legitimate contender in the shark-infested waters of the welterweight division.