Former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos Moving to 170

The #4 ranked UFC Lightweight and former UFC Lightweight Champion, Rafael dos Anjos, announced that he was moving up a weight class to compete in the Welterweight (170) division his next fight. dos Anjos revealed the news to Combate.

The 32-year-old Brazilian native has 32 professional MMA bouts with 25 wins and 9 losses. dos Anjos first debuted in the octagon over 8 years ago at UFC 91 where he suffered a knockout loss to Jeremy Stephens. He has since has fought for the UFC 21 times, and despite losing his last two bouts, had previously gone 10-1 with the only loss coming to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“I’ve already reached what I had to achieve at Lightweight.” dos Anjos told Combate. “In addition, it has been very difficult to beat the weight. Between 2014 and 2015 I fought five times and after that, in this race for the belt, my body changed a little. In the fight against Donald Corrine when defended his belt for the first time since I felt my different body. Against Eddie Alvarez was even worse and in the fight with Tony Fergus was already much more difficult.”

dos Anjos wrapped up by explaining the move, “So I decided to start this year of 2017 with new challenges and I think I will fight happier in this category from the top.”

The former UFC Lightweight Champion did state that there is a possibility of returning to 155, but he would only he interested in super fights at that weight. His new focus in on the 170 division and UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley’s belt.