UFC"Pastor"Jafel Filho Record: 17-5-0
FlyweightRecord17-5-0
Age33
DivisionFlyweight · #74
Combat Edge Elo1669
Last fightApr 25 2026
Jafel Filho has a 17-5-0 professional record and is 33 years old in the Flyweight division, representing Nova Uniao. This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, ELO rating, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Jafel Filho bio
Personal background
Jafel Filho is a Brazilian flyweight in the UFC, an elite submission grappler nicknamed "Pastor" who fights out of the famed Nova União gym. Born on May 5, 1993, in Sento Sé, Bahia, he carries a nickname that is no gimmick: he is an evangelical pastor who has balanced his ministry with his fighting career, working various jobs before MMA could support him. At 5'7" with a long 68-inch reach for the division, he built his game around a relentless, finish-or-bust submission style honed at Nova União, the Rio de Janeiro institution that produced champions like José Aldo. Filho's combination of length, scrambling and a constant hunt for the choke makes him one of the more dangerous grapplers at 125 pounds.
Path to the UFC
Filho turned professional in 2014 and spent years sharpening his craft on the Brazilian circuit, primarily under the Shooto Brasil banner. The road was not flawless — he absorbed an early lesson in a unanimous-decision loss to Bruno Korea at Shooto Brasil 49 in 2014 — but the finishes piled up steadily. He stopped Vinicius Salvador by second-round TKO at Shooto Brasil 92 in May 2019, one of many regional wins that built his reputation as a finisher. The breakthrough came on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2022, where he stopped the unbeaten Roybert Echeverria in the third round to earn his UFC contract.
UFC tenure
Filho's promotional debut in March 2023 was a brutal lesson against a top prospect: he lost to the unbeaten Muhammad Mokaev by third-round rear-naked choke after a hard-fought scrap. He answered emphatically that July, submitting Daniel Barez with a first-round arm-triangle choke for his first UFC win. He kept the grappling clinic going in March 2024, choking out the experienced Ode Osbourne with a first-round rear-naked choke.
Recent run
Filho also showcased his grappling outside MMA, taking a five-round grappling decision over Amir Albazi at ADXC 8 in December 2024. Back in the cage, the level of competition tested him: he dropped a unanimous decision to the durable Allan Nascimento in May 2025, then bounced back in October 2025 with a first-round kimura of Clayton Carpenter, a vintage finish that underlined his submission ceiling. He then lost a unanimous decision to Cody Durden in April 2026.
Fighting style
Filho is a finisher to his core, with one of the most extreme finishing profiles in the sport: of his seventeen wins, eleven have come by submission and five by knockout or TKO, leaving just a single decision win and a remarkable 94% finish rate. He is comfortable everywhere a fight can go, but the mat is where he is truly elite — the rear-naked choke, arm-triangle and kimura are all live weapons, and his length helps him lock up finishes from positions where shorter grapplers cannot. His losses tell the rest of the story: when opponents survive his early submission pressure, he has been outpointed over three rounds, and two career submission defeats came against high-level grapplers. But few flyweights are more dangerous in the opening minutes.
Career highlights
- Contender Series signing — stopped the unbeaten Roybert Echeverria in the third round to earn his UFC contract.
- Elite finishing rate — finished sixteen of his seventeen wins, a 94% finish rate built on eleven submissions and five knockouts.
- Octagon submission wins — choked out Daniel Barez and Ode Osbourne in the first round and added a first-round kimura of Clayton Carpenter.
Career snapshot
Jafel Filho career snapshot
EloCombat Edge Elo
1669Good ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#631
Bantamweight#74of 173 active
Peak1688
Last move-19
Opponent quality1613avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1688 Elo after defeating Clayton Carpenter (2025-10-11)
Similar Elo in Bantamweight
Jafel Filho quick answers
What is Jafel Filho's record?
Jafel Filho's professional MMA record is 17-5-0.
How old is Jafel Filho?
Jafel Filho is 33 years old.
What weight class is Jafel Filho?
Jafel Filho fights at Flyweight in UFC.
How tall is Jafel Filho?
Jafel Filho is 5'7" tall with a 68" reach.
How much does Jafel Filho weigh?
Jafel Filho competes at Flyweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 125 lbs.
What is Jafel Filho's Combat Edge Elo?
Jafel Filho's Combat Edge Elo is 1669, with a peak Elo of 1688.
How strong is Jafel Filho's recent opposition?
Jafel Filho's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1613 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Jafel Filho's last fight?
Jafel Filho's latest tracked pro fight was against Cody Durden at UFC Fight Night on Apr 25 2026.
What is Jafel Filho's recent form?
Jafel Filho's recent tracked pro form is L-W-L-W-W over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Jafel Filho usually win?
Jafel Filho's 17 recorded wins include 5 knockouts, 11 submissions, and 1 decisions, with 94% ending before the final bell.
5Wins by knockout
11Wins by submission
1Wins by decision
0Loss by knockout
2Loss by submission
3Loss by decision
Jafel Filho stats
Record : 17 / 5 / 0Significant strikes landed per minute
1.85Fighter3.39Division average
Significant striking accuracy
42%Fighter44%Division average
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
1.62Fighter3.88Division average
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
50%Fighter54%Division average
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
2.52Fighter1.51Division average
Takedown accuracy
45%Fighter35%Division average
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
67%Fighter53%Division average
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
2.24Fighter0.57Division average
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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