Augusto Sakai

Augusto Sakai is a Brazilian heavyweight striker who has carved out a middling UFC career marked by electric highs and painful lows. Born in Curitiba in 1991, Sakai turned professional in 2011 and spent his early years building a record in Brazil and Bellator, racking up wins via knockout and establishing himself as a power puncher. He made his UFC debut in September 2018 against Chase Sherman, stopping him via TKO in the third round, and quickly strung together three consecutive wins, including a first-round knockout of Marcin Tybura in 2019 that became a signature finish. Split decisions over respected veterans Andrei Arlovski and Blagoy Ivanov suggested Sakai had arrived as a legitimate heavyweight contender.

Then the wheels came off. In a span of roughly 18 months, Sakai faced a gauntlet of elite strikers and came out on the losing end of every engagement. Alistair Overeem dominated him for five rounds in September 2020 before a late TKO. Jairzinho Rozenstruik knocked him out with one second left in the first round. Tai Tuivasa finished him in 26 seconds at UFC 269 in December 2021. Serghei Spivac stopped him via TKO in the second round in August 2022. The string of losses and brutal finishes raised real questions about whether Sakai belonged at the top of the division.

As a fighter, Sakai is a pure striker who lands significant strikes at distance and in the clinch while attempting almost no takedowns. His 11 wins by knockout and 6 first-round finishes demonstrate explosive power, but that same reliance on striking left him exposed against savvy, high-level competition. In February 2023, he showed resilience by earning a three-round unanimous decision over Don'Tale Mayes, but the UFC released him two months later. He signed with Polish promotion KSW in June 2024 and challenged for their heavyweight title, losing via unanimous decision. At 32 and no longer fighting in the UFC, Sakai remains a journeyman heavyweight with genuine power but limited upside at the sport's highest level.