# Al Iaquinta
**Al Iaquinta** (born 1987) is an American retired mixed martial artist from [Long Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-island), New York, who competed in the UFC lightweight division, challenged for the vacant UFC lightweight title in 2018, and finished his career with a professional record of 15 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987; fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) |
| Pro record | 15-7-1, professional debut February 16, 2008; UFC record 9-6-0 with a UFC debut on June 1, 2012[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) |
| Title bout | 0-1; lost a five-round decision to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 223 on 24 hours' notice[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/16/18142992/ufc-on-fox-31-aftermath-al-iaquinta-answers-the-questions) |
| Longest win streak | 5 fights, 2014 to 2017[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) |
| Peak ranking | #6 lightweight in FightMatrix's quarterly ratings on January 1, 2019[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) |
| Last fight | November 6, 2021, a TKO (punches) loss to King Green[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/) |
| Nickname | "Raging Al"[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/16/18142992/ufc-on-fox-31-aftermath-al-iaquinta-answers-the-questions) |
## The Ultimate Fighter and early UFC career
Iaquinta entered the UFC through season 15 of [The Ultimate Fighter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ultimate-fighter), the show's first live season, where he was an early favorite on the strength of a wrestling background, success under the Ring of Combat banner, and his Serra-Longo affiliation[3](https://www.ufc.com.br/news/iaquinta-making-lost-time). He reached the finale, where [Michael Chiesa](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-chiesa) choked him unconscious with a rear-naked choke at 2:40 of the first round on June 1, 2012, in Iaquinta's third fight in three weeks[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/6/1/3058462/ultimate-fighter-results-to-win-tuf-live).
After the show he won a decision over Ryan Couture at UFC 164 following a 14-month layoff[3](https://www.ufc.com.br/news/iaquinta-making-lost-time).
## Hiatus and return
**A two-year break.** After his fourth consecutive win, the Masvidal decision, Iaquinta was prepared to walk away from the sport to pursue other interests and settled into a career as a real estate agent, which he described as hard to start but eventually successful[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/all-iaquinta-returns-after-exploring-life-outside-octagon). He also had a long-running dispute with UFC management during this period[6](https://www.mmamania.com/2018/12/14/18139381/fighter-breakdown-ufc-fox-31-al-iaquinta-strengths-weaknesses-kevin-lee-rematch-milwaukee-mma).
He returned at UFC Fight Night Nashville against [Diego Sanchez](https://www.edgepedia.org/diego-sanchez), his first fight in over two years, and won by knockout in 98 seconds[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/all-iaquinta-returns-after-exploring-life-outside-octagon) • [7](https://www.ufc.com/news/iaquinta-reminded-how-much-he-loves-mma).
## The title shot and 2018 to 2019 peak
At [UFC 223](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-223) in Brooklyn on April 7, 2018, Iaquinta stepped in on 24 hours' notice after [Tony Ferguson](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-ferguson) and then [Max Holloway](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-holloway) both fell out of the title bout meant to determine a successor to Conor McGregor. Iaquinta, originally scheduled to face Paul Felder on the card, took the fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov, who won a one-sided decision to become undisputed lightweight champion; Iaquinta went the distance, losing on scores of 50-44, 50-43, and 50-43[8](https://www.ufc.com/news/khabib-dominates-iaquinta-become-undisputed-lightweight-champ) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/16/18142992/ufc-on-fox-31-aftermath-al-iaquinta-answers-the-questions).
The performance, on a year-long layoff and a day's notice, established him as a credible contender. He then faced [Kevin Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-lee), a fighter coming off an interim title fight, in the main event of UFC on FOX 31 in [Milwaukee](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee) in December 2018. Lee's wrestling won the second and third rounds, but Iaquinta was never broken by the grappling, showed the better gas tank in rounds four and five, and won a decision, saying afterward, "With the right preparation, the right fight, I could beat anyone in this division"[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/16/18142992/ufc-on-fox-31-aftermath-al-iaquinta-answers-the-questions).
The peak ended in 2019. In the main event of UFC Fight Night in Ottawa on May 4, 2019, Iaquinta lost a five-round unanimous decision to [Donald Cerrone](https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-cerrone), who picked him apart from the outside and landed 50 more significant strikes over the five rounds[9](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/al-iaquinta) • [10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927). He then faced [Dan Hooker](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-hooker) in the co-main event of [UFC 243](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-243) in Melbourne, Australia, in October 2019, entering as the UFC's No. 6-ranked lightweight against Hooker at No. 15[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/10/2/20893720/al-iaquinta-doesnt-pay-attention-to-ufc-rankings-its-subjective-its-more-of-a-popularity-contest).
## Fighting style
Iaquinta fought as a counter-boxer with a simple but effective approach built on a precise counter right, timing, and reading ability rather than volume[10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927). He mixed single-precision strikes with full counter exchanges in the pocket, invested in body shots early to bring opponents' hands down, and used a rhythm-manipulating head kick, described as a "monkey kick," in which he dipped far to his right before swinging his left leg over a delayed top[10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927).
He carried above-average power for a lightweight: at the time of the 2019 breakdown, seven of his 14 wins were by knockout and he had never been knocked out himself[10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927). His grappling was inconsistent, with strong takedown defense and scrambling in some fights and vulnerability to grapplers in others; he was dominated on the ground by Nurmagomedov in 2018[10](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927).
## Views on UFC rankings
In October 2019 Iaquinta said he did not look at the UFC rankings, calling them subjective and "more of a popularity contest," and pointed to [Conor McGregor](https://www.edgepedia.org/conor-mcgregor)'s continued placement in the top three despite a loss to Nurmagomedov and only one UFC win at 155 pounds as an example of the system's flaws[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/10/2/20893720/al-iaquinta-doesnt-pay-attention-to-ufc-rankings-its-subjective-its-more-of-a-popularity-contest). His criticism aligned with broader problems in the rankings: a Reddit-based analysis found only 14 people voting, with only nine directly involved in MMA media, and UFC president [Dana White](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-white) himself routinely criticized the promotion's own rankings, particularly the pound-for-pound list[11](https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/10/2/20893720/al-iaquinta-doesnt-pay-attention-to-ufc-rankings-its-subjective-its-more-of-a-popularity-contest).
## Later career
Iaquinta's last UFC fight came on November 6, 2021, at [UFC 268](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-268), where he lost by TKO to King Green (then ranked #68 at lightweight in FightMatrix's ratings)[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/). He finished with 9 UFC wins against 6 losses, one title bout, and a highest quarterly ranking of #6 at lightweight[1](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/).
## References
1. [Al Iaquinta, Fighter Profile, FightMatrix](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Al%2520Iaquinta/45131/)
2. [UFC on FOX 31 Aftermath: Al Iaquinta answers the questions, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2018/12/16/18142992/ufc-on-fox-31-aftermath-al-iaquinta-answers-the-questions)
3. [Iaquinta Making Up For Lost Time, UFC](https://www.ufc.com.br/news/iaquinta-making-lost-time)
4. [Ultimate Fighter Results: Michael Chiesa Beats Al Iaquinta to Win TUF Live, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/6/1/3058462/ultimate-fighter-results-to-win-tuf-live)
5. [All in: Iaquinta returns after exploring life outside Octagon, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/all-iaquinta-returns-after-exploring-life-outside-octagon)
6. [Fighter on Fighter: Breaking down UFC on FOX 31's Al Iaquinta, MMA Mania](https://www.mmamania.com/2018/12/14/18139381/fighter-breakdown-ufc-fox-31-al-iaquinta-strengths-weaknesses-kevin-lee-rematch-milwaukee-mma)
7. [Iaquinta reminded of how much he loves MMA, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/iaquinta-reminded-how-much-he-loves-mma)
8. [Khabib dominates Iaquinta to become undisputed lightweight champ, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/khabib-dominates-iaquinta-become-undisputed-lightweight-champ)
9. [Al Iaquinta, Athlete record, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/al-iaquinta)
10. [The Film Room: Al Iaquinta, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-Film-Room-Al-Iaquinta-162927)
11. [Al Iaquinta doesn't pay attention to UFC rankings, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2019/10/2/20893720/al-iaquinta-doesnt-pay-attention-to-ufc-rankings-its-subjective-its-more-of-a-popularity-contest)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Lightweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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