Marcio Alexandre Junior Record: 16-5-0

Rebuilding on the regional scene

Rather than fade out, Alexandre returned to the Brazilian circuit and rediscovered his finishing form. Through 2016 and 2017 he reeled off wins for Aspera FC, mixing a second-round brabo choke with unanimous-decision victories to re-establish himself as a dangerous regional middleweight. The road wasn't entirely smooth – a 2017 doctor stoppage interrupted the run – but the broader trajectory was clear: away from the UFC's elite gauntlet, his offense was once again the deciding factor.

Contender Series and beyond

Alexandre's resurgence brought another crack at the big stage. In April 2018 he scored a first-round knockout on a Sao Jose super-fight card, then earned a Dana White's Contender Series berth that August, where he submitted his opponent with a first-round guillotine choke – the kind of quick, decisive finish that had defined his best nights. A 2019 first-round submission loss at Future FC was a reminder that the grappling exchanges cut both ways, but he answered with another first-round guillotine that July. In his later years he also tested himself in pure grappling competition, including the IBJJF Pan American Championship, underlining the jiu-jitsu pedigree behind his MMA submission game.

Fighting style

Alexandre is one of the more aggressive finishers on his resume, with an 88% finish rate built on nine knockouts and five submissions across 16 wins. The karate base gives him distance management and explosive entries, and the "Lyoto" nickname is no accident – his stand-up favors timing and counters over volume. But the most striking feature of his game is its two-pronged threat: he is just as comfortable hunting a guillotine or brabo choke as he is looking for the knockout. The honest caveat is that his five losses include two submissions of his own, and his UFC stint showed that against the very best, his finish-or-bust approach can leave fewer paths to victory if the early stoppage doesn't come.

Career highlights

• TUF: Brazil 3 finalist — reached the middleweight final of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil in 2014, the breakout that earned him a UFC contract.
• Contender Series finish — submitted his opponent with a first-round guillotine choke on Dana White's Contender Series in 2018, a showcase of his trademark finishing instinct.
• 88% finish rate — closed out 14 of his 16 wins inside the distance, splitting his finishes between nine knockouts and five submissions.