5 Things You Might Not Know About Raphael Assuncao

You can sign up for a free seven-day trial of ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC on ESPN+ live on your computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Raphael Assuncao (27-5) is a 36-year-old Brazilian fighter who plies his trade in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division. For his next appearance, Assuncao will face fellow countryman Marlon Moraes in the main event of UFC Fight Night 144, which takes place at the Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste, in Fortaleza, Brazil, on Feb. 2.

The clash is a rematch of their UFC 212 scrap, which saw Assuncao emerge victorious from the highly-competitive bout by split decision. This time around, a potential title fight could be on the cards for the winner.

In the build up to the much-anticipated rematch, here are five things that you might not know about Rafael Assuncao.

He has only lost twice in the UFC.

Assuncao held a stellar 16-3 record when he made his promotional bow opposite fellow debutant Erik Koch at UFC 128 in March 2011. At the midpoint of the very first round, the Brazilian fell victim to a knockout punch. His UFC tenure had got off to a bad start. However, he was to quickly put the setback behind him. Assuncao would go on and win 11 of his next 12 matches. He is currently 11-2 with the UFC.

He is not the only fighter in the family.

Assuncao’s two brothers have also competed in professional MMA. His older brother, Junior 23-7, has turned out for a number of outfits, including the UFC, where he holds a 2-3 record across two stints. Younger sibling, Freddy 10-1, is a talented lightweight pugilist who has fought for World Series of Fighting and Titan Fighting Championships amongst other.

He won his first nine contests.

The stocky 5’5’ Assuncao was a then 21-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor when he entered professional MMA as a featherweight in January 2004 at ISCF Friday Night Fight. He won the clash by first round TKO. Assuncao was triumphant in his next eight bouts, winning seven of them by submission.

He calls the United States home.

Assuncao is a proud Brazilian who hails from the beachside city of Recife, the capital of Pernambuco in the country’s northeast. However, these days the world’s No. 3 bantamweight is based in Atlanta. There he trains and instructs at Ascension MMA, alongside his two fellow BJJ black belt brothers. The facility offers mixed martial arts, self-defense and BJJ training.

He holds a win against a UFC champion and pound-for-pound great.

Assuncao was on a four-fight winning streak with the Las Vegas based promotion, when he met current bantamweight title holder T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 200 in July 2016. The duel proved to be a highly entertaining, fast-paced affair. There was nothing to separate the two in the first frame, but in rounds two and three, Assuncao landed the heavier shots on his increasingly marked up rival. After 15 minutes of action, it was the Brazilian who had his hand raised by split decision. The memorable battle was awarded Fight of the Night honors. Nearly three years later the two met again, at UFC 200, in Jul. 2016. On this occasion Dillashaw used his wrestling to keep the fight on the feet, where he used impeccable counter striking to keep the aggressive Brazilian at bay. At the conclusion of the three rounds, the judges all sided with the American.