Antonio Carlosjr. Bio
Antônio Carlos Coelho de Figueiredo Barbosa Júnior, widely known as Antônio Carlos Jr. and nicknamed Cara de Sapato, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist competing in the Light Heavyweight division. Born on 16 March 1990 in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, he is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League, where he has captured the Light Heavyweight title on multiple occasions. Standing 188 cm tall with a 201 cm reach, he is widely recognized for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu credentials and his championship run inside both the UFC and the PFL.
Antônio Carlos Jr. trains out of American Top Team in the United States while maintaining his residence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With a professional record of 19 wins and 6 losses, the bulk of his victories have come by way of submission, a statistic that underscores his grappling pedigree. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has built a career that bridges international MMA promotions and high-profile reality television.
Antonio Carlosjr. Early Life and Background
Antônio Carlos Jr. was born in João Pessoa, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Paraíba, and grew up in a country where martial arts hold a deep cultural footprint. From an early age, he gravitated toward Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an art form that has produced generations of world-class athletes from the region. His dedication on the mats as a youth set the foundation for the grappling-based style that would later define his mixed martial arts career.
He earned his first major grappling honors as a teenager, capturing the World Cup title in 2006 at the blue junior level. He continued to climb the ranks, and in 2010 he was crowned a two-time World Champion at brown belt, winning both the weight class and the absolute division. These accomplishments established him as one of the most promising grappling talents in Brazil and drew the attention of major MMA organizations looking for skilled submission artists.
Path to MMA
After solidifying his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu credentials, Antônio Carlos Jr. transitioned into mixed martial arts and began his professional career in 2013. He initially competed in the Heavyweight division before settling into Light Heavyweight the following year, a weight class where his frame and conditioning would serve him well. His grappling-heavy approach translated quickly into MMA success, and within a year of his debut he was invited onto a major reality competition that would change the course of his career.
In February 2014, Antônio Carlos Jr. was selected as a cast member for The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3, where he was picked second overall by coach Wanderlei Silva. He won his entry fight against Guilherme Viana by TKO and then defeated Edgard Castaldelli Filho by knockout in just twelve seconds, the fastest finish in the tournament. He submitted Marcos Rogério de Lima via rear-naked choke to claim a place in the final, marking him as the standout competitor of the season.
Antonio Carlosjr. Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
Antônio Carlos Jr. launched his professional mixed martial arts career in 2013, fighting as a Heavyweight in regional promotions. His early record showcased a finishing instinct, with the majority of his victories coming by way of submission. The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 provided his first national platform, and he seized the opportunity with three consecutive finishes, culminating in a unanimous decision victory over Vitor Miranda at the TUF Brazil 3 Finale on 31 May 2014 to claim the tournament title.
Following the tournament win, Antônio Carlos Jr. signed with the UFC and made his light heavyweight debut against Patrick Cummins on 20 December 2014. He lost the bout by unanimous decision, prompting a move to the Middleweight division in search of better results. The transition opened a new chapter in his development as he began working with established coaching staffs and refining his striking to complement his elite grappling.
UFC Middleweight Run (2015–2018)
At Middleweight, Antônio Carlos Jr. quickly established himself as a dangerous submission threat. He submitted Eddie Gordon in the third round at UFC Fight Night 70 and rebounded from a No Contest with Kevin Casey to win three straight bouts. Highlights during this period included a unanimous decision win over Marvin Vettori at UFC 207 in December 2016, a performance that earned him recognition as a rising contender in the division.
From 2017 onward, Antônio Carlos Jr. produced one of the most consistent submission streaks of his career, finishing Eric Spicely, Jack Marshman, and Tim Boetsch in successive appearances. The Boetsch victory came via rear-naked choke in the first round at UFC on Fox 29 in April 2018 and signaled his arrival as a top-tier finisher. Despite injury setbacks that postponed bouts with Derek Brunson and Elias Theodorou, he remained a fixture in the UFC’s middleweight rankings heading into 2019.
UFC Late Career (2019–2021)
Antônio Carlos Jr.’s 2019 campaign produced mixed results, including a loss to Ian Heinisch in May and a split decision defeat to Uriah Hall in September. A scheduled bout with Brad Tavares was repeatedly postponed, first due to an injury to his opponent and later due to an ACL injury of his own, before finally taking place at UFC 257 on 24 January 2021. He lost the bout by unanimous decision, and on 4 February 2021 the UFC released him from his contract, ending a seven-year run with the promotion.
PFL Era (2021–Present)
Antônio Carlos Jr. signed with the Professional Fighters League in March 2021 and made his PFL debut against Tom Lawlor at PFL 2 on 29 April 2021, winning by guillotine choke in the first round. After a no contest with Vinny Magalhães, he defeated Emiliano Sordi by unanimous decision in the semifinals and then submitted Marthin Hamlet in the first round at PFL 10 to win the 2021 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament and the $1 million prize. An ACL injury in 2022 sidelined him, but he returned in 2024 to defeat Simon Biyong before suffering a decision loss to Alex Polizzi.
In 2025, Antônio Carlos Jr. entered the PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament and rolled through the bracket. He won a split decision over Karl Moore in the quarterfinals at PFL 4, took a unanimous decision from Simeon Powell at PFL 7, and submitted Sullivan Cauley in the second round at PFL 10 on 21 August 2025 to reclaim the PFL Light Heavyweight Championship. The three-win run reaffirmed his status as one of the most decorated submission artists in the promotion’s history.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Antônio Carlos Jr.’s signature achievements are his 2021 and 2025 PFL Light Heavyweight titles, his TUF Brazil 3 Heavyweight Tournament victory in 2014, and his six-fight submission streak between 2016 and 2018. His twelve-second knockout of Edgard Castaldelli Filho remains the fastest finish in TUF Brazil 3 history. The $1 million prize he earned at PFL 10 in October 2021 marked the financial high point of his career to date.
Antonio Carlosjr. Family
Personal Life
Antônio Carlos Jr. maintains his residence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and trains with American Top Team in the United States. Beyond his grappling background and his career, few public personal details have been confirmed in available records. He is also known to Brazilian audiences for appearing as a cast member on the reality series Big Brother Brasil 23 in 2023, a notable departure from his usual combat sports spotlight.
2025 Season Performance
Antônio Carlos Jr.’s 2025 campaign began with the official announcement in March that he would rejoin the PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament, his first full season of competition since the 2021 title run. He opened with a hard-fought split decision win over Karl Moore in the quarterfinals at PFL 4 in May, signaling that his grappling-heavy style remained effective against top-tier opposition. The victory propelled him into the semifinals with renewed momentum.
At PFL 7 on 27 June 2025, Antônio Carlos Jr. turned in a composed performance against Simeon Powell, taking a unanimous decision to advance to the finals. His veteran poise and ability to dictate range proved decisive in a closely contested bout. The semifinal win set up a championship showdown at PFL 10 on 21 August 2025 against Sullivan Cauley, where he sealed the tournament and the title with a second-round submission.
With his second PFL Light Heavyweight Championship secured, Antônio Carlos Jr. enters the next phase of his career as one of the most experienced and decorated fighters in the division. His 2025 results, built on a blend of decision wins and a finishing flourish in the final, suggest that he remains a serious title threat going forward. As long as his health holds, the Brazilian submission ace will likely continue to be a central figure in the PFL’s Light Heavyweight division.