Oh, how the mighty have evolved. Rafael dos Anjos, once a dominant force at 155 pounds, seems to have closed that chapter of his career. It’s like he’s saying, “Been there, done that.”
And guess what? He made it official. Not through a press conference, but where everyone seems to spill their hearts out these days – social media. The former UFC lightweight champ has thrown in the towel on making the grueling cut to 155. “Get me out of [the lightweight] rankings,” he declared on X. It’s as if he’s telling the lightweights, “Stop calling me out; I’m not one of you anymore.”
At 39, walking around at a comfortable 195 pounds, dos Anjos is eyeing the welterweight division for his future battles. “There’s lots of fights that make sense to me at 170,” he muses. And he’s itching to get back into the octagon come July. The man’s got plans.
His tweet was pretty straightforward. No mincing words. “I have nothing to prove to nobody,” he stated, laying down his new path at 170 pounds. It’s refreshing, really, seeing a fighter dictate their journey on their terms.
Dos Anjos’ dance between lightweight and welterweight isn’t new. He first ventured into the 170-pound territory back in 2017. And what a start it was! Wins over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny, and Robbie Lawler marked his entry. Currently, he’s 5-4 at welterweight, with his latest win against Bryan Barberena in December 2022.
So, what’s next for dos Anjos? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure, the man’s not looking back. The lightweight division is in his rearview, and welterweight fights are on the horizon. July can’t come soon enough.