Light HeavyweightACTIVE
Rafael Cerqueira
11-3
Age
35
Height
6'3"
Weight
203 lbs
Reach
76"
Avg Fight Time
06:01
Gym
Galpao da Luta / CTJ
Wins By
8 KO · 2 Sub · 1 Dec
Losses By
—
Wins by Rd
—
Last 4
LLLL
Finish Rate
91%
Bonuses
—
Style
—
Location
Salvador, Brazil
Fight History
LOSS
MB
vs Modestas Bukauskas
UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song· 2025-09-27
KO/TKO
Punches to Head At Distance
R1 2:12
KO/TKOPunches to Head At Distance·R1 2:12
LOSS
AR
vs Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev
UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker· 2025-09-27
Submission
Rear Naked Choke
R1 0:33
SubmissionRear Naked Choke·R1 0:33
LOSS
JW
vs Julius Walker
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Hernandez· 2025-09-27
Decision - Unanimous
R3 5:00
Decision - Unanimous·R3 5:00
LOSS
IA
vs Ibo Aslan
UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway· 2024-10-26
KO/TKO
Punches to Head At Distance
R1 0:51
KO/TKOPunches to Head At Distance·R1 0:51
Fighter Archetype
Striker
Boxing-Heavy
Why This Archetype
This fighter displays a unique approach that transcends traditional archetypes.
Striking
1.6/min
Grappling
0.00 TD
Defense
37%
⚖️Rafael adapts strategy based on opponent — no predictable tendencies
📊Balanced approach can be difficult to game-plan against
Technique DNA
No commentary data for technique analysis
Finish Techniques
No finishes recorded (decision specialist)
Fighter Skills Radar
Key Insights
🥊
Striking specialist: Dominates with devastating volume and accuracy. Avoids ground exchanges.⚠️
Vulnerability: Sub/15min is below average (0/100). Opponents exploit this.🔥
Finisher: 91% of wins end in finish (8 KO + 2 subs).⏱️
Fast starter: Peaks early in fights (64% in R3). Front-loads pressure.Striking Profile
Striking Accuracy
45%
Average
0%100%
Striking Defense
37%
Below Avg
0%100%
Range Breakdown
Distance
44% acc100%
Clinch
0%
Ground
0%
Striking Differential-3.27/min
1.61 landed/min4.88 absorbed/min
1.61
Landed/Min
4.88
Absorbed/Min
0.00
KD Avg
0
1st Rd Finishes
Sig. Strikes Landed29
Sig. Strikes Attempted65
Key Insights
Rafael is a distance-first striker, with 100% of output at range.
Primarily a headhunter with 66% targeting the head.
Absorbs more than landing (3.0:1).
Distance-dominant: 100% of output at range with 44% accuracy.
Grappling Profile
TD Accuracy
0%
Low
0%100%
TD Defense
40%
Below Avg
0%100%
0.00
TD / 15min
0.00
Sub / 15min
0
TD Landed
0
TD Attempted
Extended Grappling
Key Insights
TD defense at 40% could be a vulnerability.
Submission timing: "Opportunistic" — consistent threat.
Offensive vs Defensive Balance
Damage Exchange
Offensive dominance vs damage absorbed per fight
Dealt
29
0.33
Ratio
Absorbed
88
Chin Rating
GoodKD Exchange
0/2
KD Recovery
0%
Pace & Momentum
Fight pacing and round-over-round performance trends
Engagement Score
6.8
Low Output
Strikes/Min
1.3
Standing %
99%
R3 vs R1 Output
64%
Key Insights
⚠️ Damage ratio below 1.0 (0.33x) - absorbs more than deals.
🛡️ Defensive specialist - rarely gets knocked down relative to knockdowns given.
📉 Struggles with fatigue - R3 output only 64% of R1 pace.
🎢 High striking absorption - takes significant damage in exchanges.
Round-by-Round Profile
Career average across 4 fights
R1 Control
0:05
R2 Control
--
R3 Control
0:09
R1 to Final
+32%
In-Fight Adaptation
Detected across career, comparing R1 vs R3+ patterns
Shifts to headhunting late (+47.6pp in R3).
Target Selection Evolution
Head
+47.6pp
Body
0.0pp
Leg
-47.6pp
Range Preference Evolution
Ground Shift
0.0pp
Round Patterns
⬆️ Improves with fight duration – strong finishing power
💪 Peak performance in final round
🔄 Low control time – movement-focused fighter
Competitive Profile
Strength of Schedule
Opponent quality and career progression
Avg Opponent ELO
2669
StrongCareer-wide opponent strength
Conclusions Summary
Fighter characteristics, strengths, patterns, and competitive insights