5 longtime UFC veterans who are still dangerous today
The UFC is undoubtedly no country for old men. Over the years, we’ve seen countless examples of younger fighters making their name off the back of veteran talents. However, that isn’t always the case.
Plenty of great veteran fighters are now reaching the end of their time with the UFC. However, a handful of others are still thriving, and seem to be as dangerous as they once were in their prime.
14 years in the UFC & Jim Miller keeps on winning 💪
[ @JimMiller_155 | #UFCVegas48 ] https://t.co/ChiR3rmJdO
Quite how long they can keep this up for is anyone’s guess, particularly as they reach their late 30s and early 40s. However, the fact that they remain part of the promotion’s roster is still impressive.
On that note, here’s a look at five long-time UFC veterans who still remain dangerous today:
#5. Rafael Dos Anjos – former UFC lightweight champion
Given that he’s still ranked #6 in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, it seems difficult to believe that Rafael Dos Anjos could be considered a long-time, aging veteran. If anything, the Brazilian still appears to be close to his prime.
However, RDA has actually been competing in the octagon for well over a decade now. He made his debut in a losing effort to Jeremy Stephens in November 2008. Incredibly, the Brazilian is set to reach his 38th birthday this October.
In many ways, it’s arguable that Dos Anjos should be considered one of the most underrated fighters in the history of the lightweight division. After finding his feet in the octagon following two losses to begin his career there, he lost just three of his next 16 bouts en route to winning the lightweight title in 2015.
Dos Anjos’ title reign didn’t last long at all – he made just one successful defense before being stopped by Eddie Alvarez in the summer of 2016. When he then lost to Tony Ferguson, it appeared that his career was on the wane. However, he then made an excellent resurgence as a welterweight, fighting for the interim title in a losing battle against Colby Covington in 2018.
That loss led him to a slide of sorts, but most recently, the Brazilian looked back to his best in a win over Paul Felder. Now set to fight hot prospect Rafael Fiziev early next month, with a win, Dos Anjos could even find himself back in title contention.
Official: Rafael dos Anjos def Paul Felder via SD (47-48, 50-45 X 2).
That judge who scored it 48-47 should not judge another UFC fight for a very long time.
That would be a huge achievement for a fighter who has been around as long as he has.