Manoel Sousa

Lightweight

Manoel Sousa

“Manumito”· CE, Brazil

Pro record

15-1-0

Model Elo

1623

#255 of 1994

Age
29
Height
5'9"
Reach
70"
Stance
Orthodox
Team
Academia Octógono
Born
CE, Brazil
UFC debut
Mar 13, 2026

Profile

Overview

Fifteen professional wins, one loss, and a UFC record that is still unbeaten. Manoel Sousa, "Manumito," fights at lightweight out of Academia Octógono, and he has opened his UFC run 2-0.

He hasn't been quick about it. His UFC finish came in the third round, not the first.

UFC Career

Sousa fought on Dana White's Contender Series 9.3 in August 2025, stopping Cristian Perez by KO/TKO in the third round, at 3:00. That fight sits outside his UFC record, but it is part of his 15-1 professional mark.

His UFC debut came in March 2026 against Bolaji Oki, and it went the same way: a KO/TKO in round three, at 4:12. Richie Miranda followed in August 2026 and went the distance, with Sousa winning a unanimous decision.

Two fights, one finish, one decision. It's a small sample.

Fighting Style

Sousa is a busy striker who stays hard to hit. He lands more than most fighters in the UFC while absorbing less, though his accuracy and defense are about average. The edge comes from volume and pace more than precision.

His grappling is an unusual mix. He rarely shoots for takedowns, but he is tough to take down and hunts for submissions at a high rate.

He is 2-0 in the UFC, with one win by TKO in the third round and the other by decision.

Notable Wins

  • Bolaji Oki — KO/TKO, round 3 (4:12), UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos (2026)
  • Richie Miranda — unanimous decision, round 3, UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld (2026)

Quick Facts

  • Division: Lightweight
  • UFC record: 2-0
  • Professional record (all promotions): 15-1-0
  • UFC debut: 2026
  • Stance: Orthodox
  • Height / reach: 5'9" / 70"
  • Team: Academia Octógono
  • Born: CE, Brazil

Written from MMA ProTips fight data, updated Nov 10, 2026.

UFC by the numbers

UFC record
2–0
since 2026
Finish rate
50%
1 of 2 wins
1st-round finishes
0
Elite wins
0
vs opponents rated 1700+ at the time
Longest win streak
2
Current streak
W2
wins in a row
Octagon time
29:12
avg 14:36 per fight
Opposition
1509
avg opponent Elo (1500 = average)

Best wins

Ranked by the opponent's Elo rating going into the fight.

  1. Bolaji Oki

    Bolaji Oki

    KO/TKO, R3 · UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos · Mar 14, 2026

    1518opp. Elo
  2. Richie Miranda

    Richie Miranda

    unanimous decision, R3 · UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld · Aug 8, 2026

    1500opp. Elo

Career stats (UFC)

Career UFC averages. The white tick on each bar marks the UFC average.

Striking

Strikes landed / min4.27

UFC avg 3.35 · better than average

Strikes absorbed / min3.48

UFC avg 3.95 · better than average

Striking accuracy49%

UFC avg 45% · better than average

Striking defense55%

UFC avg 52% · about average

Knockdowns / 15 min1.07

UFC avg 0.43 · better than average

Grappling

Takedowns / 15 min0.36

UFC avg 1.52 · below average

Takedown accuracy20%

UFC avg 15% · better than average

Takedown defense74%

UFC avg 52% · better than average

Submission attempts / 15 min1.07

UFC avg 0.58 · better than average

Where the strikes land

Head 67%Body 17%Legs 16%

Where the strikes are thrown

Standing 75%Clinch 14%Ground 11%

Average fight time: 14:04

Fight history (3)

ResOpponentMethodEvent
WRichie MirandaRichie MirandaRecord after: 3-0unanimous decisionRound 3 · 5:00UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. SalkilldAug 8, 2026
WBolaji OkiBolaji OkiRecord after: 2-0KO/TKORound 3 · 4:12UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs VallejosMar 14, 2026
WCristian PerezCristian PerezRecord after: 1-0KO/TKORound 3 · 3:00Dana White's Contender Series 9.3Aug 26, 2025