# Thiago Moisés
**Thiago Moisés** (Thiago Henrique Moisés; born 1995) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division, holds a professional record of 19 wins and 10 losses, and spent nearly eight years on the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC) roster, where he went 8-8 before his removal in June 2026.[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thiago-Moises-130351) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran) A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, he is a former Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) lightweight champion and one of the two fighters, along with [Arman Tsarukyan](https://www.edgepedia.org/arman-tsarukyan), to secure a takedown against [Islam Makhachev](https://www.edgepedia.org/islam-makhachev) in the UFC.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995, Indaiatuba, Brazil[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thiago-Moises-130351) |
| Division / record | Lightweight; 19-10-0 professional (4 wins by KO/TKO, 8 by submission, 7 by decision)[1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thiago-Moises-130351) |
| Pro debut | May 19, 2012, first-round armbar of Wellington Dias at age 17[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) |
| Championship | RFA lightweight champion from February 2016, defended twice[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) |
| UFC tenure | Octagon debut November 10, 2018; 16 fights, 8-8 record; removed from the roster in June 2026[4](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/thiago-moises/) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran) |
| Base skill | Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Paulo Streckert[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) |
| Team | The Fighting Nerds, São Paulo, after moving from American Top Team in Florida[5](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/thiago-moises) |
## Early career and RFA title
Moisés first appeared on the professional scene at 17, submitting Wellington Dias with a first-round armbar at a CT Fight show on May 19, 2012. He fought five times as a teenager and went 5-0 with three finishes, including a 23-second head kick knockout of Dennis Bentes Figueira da Fonseca in his second fight.[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042)
In February 2016 he claimed the vacant RFA lightweight championship, submitting David Castillo with a second-round armbar in the RFA 35 main event. He defended the title twice, stopping Jamall Emmers with fifth-round punches at RFA 38 and taking a unanimous decision from Zach Freeman at RFA 44, before RFA merged with Legacy Fighting Championship to form the Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2017.[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) In the Freeman defense, he outstruck the taller challenger and controlled the fight on the ground after the opening exchanges.[6](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Thiago-Moises-Dominates-Zach-Freeman-Retains-Lightweight-Title-at-RFA-44-111857)
## UFC career
Moisés earned his UFC contract on [Dana White](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-white)'s Contender Series on August 11, 2018, stopping Gleidson Moraes Cutis with punches a little more than four minutes into the fight.[3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) His octagon debut came three months later against [Beneil Dariush](https://www.edgepedia.org/beneil-dariush), who beat him by unanimous decision.[4](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/thiago-moises/)
His UFC run alternated highs and lows. A three-fight win streak over Kurt Holobaugh, Alexander Hernandez, and King Green carried him into the top 15 and a July 2021 main event against Islam Makhachev, who submitted him with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round.[7](https://www.mmamania.com/2021/7/15/22569445/fighter-on-fighter-breaking-down-ufc-vegas-31s-islam-makhachev-and-thiago-moises) • [4](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/thiago-moises/) His most notable UFC victories came by submission: an Achilles lock against Michael Johnson at UFC Fight Night 171 in May 2020, a rear-naked choke of Christos Giagos in June 2022, and a face crank of [Melquizael Costa](https://www.edgepedia.org/melquizael-costa) at [UFC 283](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-283) in January 2023.[8](https://www.ufc.com.br/athlete/thiago-moises) • [3](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042) His other UFC losses went to Damir Ismagulov, Joel Alvarez, Benoit Saint Denis, Ludovit Klein, and [Jared Gordon](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-gordon), the last by first-round knockout in May 2025.[4](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/thiago-moises/)
**Departure.** After a split-decision loss to Gauge Young at UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg on April 18, 2026, Moisés was removed from the UFC roster in June 2026, leaving with a professional record of 19-10 and an 8-8 mark under the company's banner. The promotion could potentially re-sign him later, but he was no longer under contract.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran) • [1](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thiago-Moises-130351)
## Fighting style
Moisés is a jiu-jitsu black belt whose grappling has produced eight of his 19 professional wins, by methods including the rear-naked choke, guillotine, armbar, triangle armbar, Achilles lock, and face crank; four of his wins came in the first round.[5](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/thiago-moises) His standout UFC grappling moment was the straight footlock (Achilles lock) that finished Michael Johnson, set up when a failed single-leg attempt let him attack the leg.[7](https://www.mmamania.com/2021/7/15/22569445/fighter-on-fighter-breaking-down-ufc-vegas-31s-islam-makhachev-and-thiago-moises)
His striking is [Muay Thai](https://www.edgepedia.org/muay-thai) based: he stands his ground in exchanges, answers with counter right hands, and works calf and round kicks to the legs and body, as he did in outpointing the high-volume striker [Alexander Hernandez](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexander-hernandez) in February 2021.[7](https://www.mmamania.com/2021/7/15/22569445/fighter-on-fighter-breaking-down-ufc-vegas-31s-islam-makhachev-and-thiago-moises) Across his UFC career he landed 469 of 1,109 significant strike attempts and averaged 4.40 significant strikes landed per minute.[5](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/thiago-moises)
## Legacy and context
Moisés fought much of the elite of his division. Besides Makhachev and Dariush, he shared the octagon with Saint Denis, Alvarez, and Ismagulov, and he holds a perfect 7-0 professional record in his native Brazil.[9](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/Thiago-Moises-Search-for-Consistency-190900) Against Makhachev, then an ascending contender and later a two-division UFC champion, Moisés secured a takedown; he and Arman Tsarukyan remain the only fighters to do so against Makhachev in the UFC.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran)
## References
1. [Thiago Moises, Sherdog fighter profile](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thiago-Moises-130351)
2. [UFC parts ways with 16-fight lightweight veteran, MMA Fighting (June 18, 2026)](https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/495268/ufc-parts-ways-with-16-fight-lightweight-veteran)
3. [5 Things You Might Not Know About Thiago Moises, Sherdog (January 28, 2023)](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/5-Things-You-Might-Not-Know-About-Thiago-Moises-189042)
4. [Thiago Moises UFC Stats & Fight History, FightingData](https://fightingdata.com/fighters/thiago-moises/)
5. [Thiago Moisés, UFC athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/thiago-moises)
6. [Thiago Moises Dominates Zach Freeman, Retains Lightweight Title at RFA 44, Sherdog (September 30, 2016)](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Thiago-Moises-Dominates-Zach-Freeman-Retains-Lightweight-Title-at-RFA-44-111857)
7. [Fighter on Fighter: Breaking down UFC Vegas 31's Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises, MMA Mania (July 15, 2021)](https://www.mmamania.com/2021/7/15/22569445/fighter-on-fighter-breaking-down-ufc-vegas-31s-islam-makhachev-and-thiago-moises)
8. [Thiago Moisés, UFC Brasil athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com.br/athlete/thiago-moises)
9. [Thiago Moises' Search for Consistency, Sherdog (August 30, 2023)](https://migration.sherdog.com/news/articles/Thiago-Moises-Search-for-Consistency-190900)
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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: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license