Former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos has shut the proverbial door on his future in the division – urging the promotion to remove him from the official rankings, as he hopes to secure a July comeback to the Octagon in a return to the welterweight limit.
dos Anjos, the current number fourteenth ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since he featured at UFC 299 earlier this year, dropping a decision defeat to surging contender, Mateusz Gamrot in Miami.
The outing came as the Brazilian’s return to the lightweight limit – for the second time since a divisional debut at welterweight back in 2017 – having previously dropped a decision loss to compatriot, Vicente Luque at 170lbs last August.
Rafael dos Anjos shuts door on lightweight future
And matched with perennial contenders and up-and-coming stars at the lightweight limit in recent years since his flip-flopping from welterweight, Niteroi native, dos Anjos has urged the promotion to stop booking him at lightweight, as he explores a July return at 170lbs.
“Get me out of LW rankings,” Rafael dos Anjos posted on his official X account. “For you LW out there calling me out I don’t compete at LW now on. I have nothing to prove to nothing, I walk around 195 at 39 years old. There’s lots of fights that make sense to me at 170. I want to fight in July @ufc get me back in that Octagon.”
Without a victory since his submission win over Bryan Barberena two years ago at the welterweight limit, dos Anjos, who struck gold with a dominant win over Anthony Pettis back in 2015, has turned in victories over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny, Robbie Lawler, and Kevin Lee to boot at 170lbs.
Who would you like to see Rafael dos Anjos fight in his summer return?