Carlos Leal

Overview

Carlos Leal lands a lot and absorbs a lot, and his UFC record of 2-2 reads exactly like that kind of fighter. "The Lion" is a Curitiba-born Brazilian welterweight who trains with Thai Brasil and has fought out of an orthodox stance since his UFC debut in October 2024. His 23-7-0 professional record covers all promotions, not just the UFC.

Four fights in, the pattern is clean: he wins by landing more, and he loses when the other man lands first.

UFC Career

Leal debuted at UFC 308 and dropped a unanimous decision to Rinat Fakhretdinov, who our model tiers as a strong opponent. He went the full three rounds, which is a decent first outing against that level.

His answer came at UFC 313 in March 2025: a first-round KO/TKO of Alex Morono at 4:16. It is his only UFC finish.

Then came the other extreme. At UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs de Ridder in July 2025, Muslim Salikhov stopped him by KO/TKO at 0:42 of the first round. One win by first-round stoppage, one loss by first-round stoppage.

He rebounded in February 2026 with a unanimous decision over Chidi Njokuani, going the full three rounds. That win leaves him carrying a one-fight winning streak into his next appearance, and it is the longest he has put together in the UFC.

Two wins, two losses, and no fight yet that has gone to a split or majority call.

Fighting Style

The career numbers describe a high-volume striker who pays for it. Leal lands far more strikes per minute than the UFC average, but he also absorbs far more. His accuracy and defense sit around the average, so the volume is the driver, not precision.

The grappling side is lopsided. He rarely shoots for takedowns and almost never hunts submissions, but he is very hard to take down. That makes him a fighter who wants the exchange on the feet and has the defense to keep it there.

The finishing pattern is thin: one stoppage in four UFC fights, and it came in the first round. It's a small sample, but it points to a fighter whose power can end things early when the exchange goes his way.

Notable Wins

• Alex Morono — KO/TKO, round 1 (4:16), UFC 313 (2025)
• Chidi Njokuani — unanimous decision, round 3, UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez (2026)

Quick Facts

• Division: Welterweight
• UFC record: 2-2 (1 KO/TKO, 1 decision)
• Professional record (all promotions): 23-7-0
• UFC debut: October 25, 2024
• Stance: Orthodox
• Height / reach: 5'11" / 74"
• Team: Thai Brasil
• Born: Curitiba, PR, Brazil