Jafel Filho

Overview

Three UFC wins, three submissions, three first-round finishes. Jafel Filho has never needed a judge's help in the UFC, and has never gotten past the second round of a win.

The Brazilian bantamweight, nicknamed "Pastor" and part of Nova União, is 3-3 in the UFC and 17-5-0 across all promotions. His wins are all the same kind of fight: short and ended by a choke or a lock. His losses are not. Two of the three went the distance.

UFC Career

His path to the UFC ran through Dana White's Contender Series 6.9 in September 2022, where he beat Roybert Echeverria by KO/TKO in round 3 at 1:31. That fight sits outside his UFC record, and it is the only knockout in his UFC-era run.

The UFC debut was a tough draw. At UFC 286 in March 2023 he lost by submission to Muhammad Mokaev in round 3, at 4:32.

Then came his best stretch. He submitted Daniel Barez in round 1 (3:26) in July 2023 and Ode Osbourne in round 1 (4:27) in March 2024. Two fights, two first-round submissions, a longest win streak of two.

The streak ended in May 2025 with a unanimous decision loss to Allan Nascimento. He answered by submitting Clayton Carpenter in round 1 at 4:42 that October. In April 2026 he dropped a unanimous decision to Cody Durden, so he carries a one-fight losing streak into his next bout.

The pattern is stark: when he finishes, it is early. When he doesn't, he goes to the cards and loses.

Fighting Style

The submission wins fit the numbers. He attempts takedowns and submissions far more often than the typical UFC fighter, and he rarely wins a fight by out-striking anyone. His strikes landed per minute are far below the UFC average and his accuracy is below it too.

The upside is that he is hard to hit. He absorbs far fewer strikes per minute than most, while his striking defense and takedown defense sit around the average.

All three UFC finishes landed in the first round, and all three were submissions. Since these are career averages, they describe the overall profile, not a trend. It is a small sample, but a consistent one.

Notable Wins

• Clayton Carpenter — submission, round 1 (4:42), UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs Gamrot (2025)
• Ode Osbourne — submission, round 1 (4:27), UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs. Tybura (2024)
• Daniel Barez — submission, round 1 (3:26), UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura (2023)

Quick Facts

• Division: Bantamweight
• UFC record: 3-3 (3 wins by submission)
• Professional record (all promotions): 17-5-0
• UFC debut: 2023
• Stance: Orthodox
• Height / reach: 5'7" / 68.5"
• Team: Nova União
• Born: Sento Sé, BA, Brazil