Rafael Alves

Rafael Alves is a Brazilian lightweight who came to MMA after a motorcycle accident derailed his professional soccer ambitions in his native Belém. Originally a skilled athlete competing for Paysandu's youth team, Alves shifted to martial arts and spent over a decade building a solid 18-9 record across regional Brazilian and American promotions. His work ethic and finishing ability eventually caught the attention of UFC president Dana White, earning him a contract through the Contender Series in 2021.

Alves' style is built on grappling craft and aggression. He favors the guillotine choke and isn't afraid to trade strikes from the feet, making him a well-rounded threat. His 2021 first-round submission of Marc Diakiese via guillotine showcased his ceiling, but his UFC tenure proved inconsistent against elite competition. He lost his debut to Damir Ismagulov, fell to Drew Dober via brutal third-round body-kick knockout at UFC 277, and dropped a majority decision to Nurullo Aliev in early 2023. A high-profile weight miss (11.5 pounds over the featherweight limit) that scrapped a scheduled fight in February 2022 added friction to his time in the promotion.

After being released by the UFC in March 2023, Alves found his footing elsewhere. He rebounded with a spectacular head-kick knockout of James Vick in Karate Combat, which earned him MMA Mania's #5 Ranked Knockout of the Year for 2024. A former Titan FC Interim Lightweight Champion and Peak Fighting Catchweight Champion, Alves remains a grinder with dangerous submission and striking tools. Despite falling short against the promotion's upper tier, his finishing instinct and comeback mentality continue to draw interest from fight fans.