Dominick Reyes Bio
Dominick Vincent Reyes (born December 26, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Nicknamed “The Devastator” for the force of his kicking game, Reyes has built a reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in his weight class. As of September 30, 2025, he is ranked #8 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
Before turning to fighting, Reyes played college football at Stony Brook University, where his leadership and tackling records still stand. He now trains out of Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai and is widely regarded as a top-tier athlete with a rare blend of collegiate wrestling fundamentals and knockout power.
Early Life and Background
Dominick Vincent Reyes was born in Hesperia, California, on December 26, 1989, and grew up in a Mexican American household. His parents pushed him toward athletics from a young age, hoping sports would keep him away from local gang activity that touched the area. Wrestling and American football quickly became his two great passions, and he dreamed of one day playing in the National Football League (NFL).
After graduating from Hesperia High School, Reyes moved east to attend Stony Brook University, where he earned a B.S. in Information Systems. He was a four-year starter and team captain for the Stony Brook Seawolves football program, playing safety from 2009 to 2012. He earned First Team All-Big South honors in 2012 and famously intercepted a pass in the end zone with 54 seconds left to seal a 2011 FCS Playoff win over in-state rival Albany.
When his college career ended, Reyes left Stony Brook as the program’s all-time leader in solo tackles with 158, totaling 259 tackles over his career. Although he drew interest from NFL teams, scouts considered his speed average, and he went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft. He briefly tried out for the Canadian Football League but decided he did not want to play anywhere other than the top level, and returned home to California.
Path to MMA
Back in Hesperia, Reyes took work in construction and helped run his father’s cabinetry business while processing the end of his football dream. To stay in shape and release pent-up frustration, he began training at Combat Cage Academy, the gym owned by his older brother, Alex Reyes, who now competes in the UFC’s Lightweight division. What started as fitness quickly grew into a competitive obsession, and he soon began competing in amateur mixed martial arts bouts.
During his amateur career, Reyes compiled a perfect 5–0 record and earned the U of MMA amateur championship twice. He then turned professional, rattling off a 6–0 run that included a viral knockout of Jordan Powell, who was showboating before Reyes put him down with a head kick. The win caught the attention of UFC matchmakers, and he signed with the promotion in 2017.
Dominick Reyes Career
Early UFC Career (2017–2018)
Reyes made his UFC debut on June 25, 2017, against Joachim Christensen at UFC Fight Night 112. He needed less than a minute to win by technical knockout, and the performance was good enough to earn him a Performance of the Night bonus in his very first appearance inside the Octagon.
He followed that statement with three more wins, submitting Jeremy Kimball at UFC 218, stopping Jared Cannonier by first-round TKO at UFC Fight Night 129, and outpointing Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 229. By the end of 2018, Reyes had established himself as a fast-rising contender in the light heavyweight division.
Light Heavyweight Breakthrough (2019–2020)
In 2019, Reyes added a split-decision win over Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Fight Night 147 and then knocked out Chris Weidman in the first round of the UFC on ESPN 6 main event, picking up another Performance of the Night bonus along the way. Those victories set up the biggest opportunity of his career.
On February 8, 2020, Reyes challenged Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 247. The fight went the distance, and Reyes lost by controversial unanimous decision, with 14 of 21 media outlets scoring the bout in his favor. He followed that with a second consecutive title shot against Jan Błachowicz for the vacant belt at UFC 253, but was stopped by technical knockout in the second round.
Comeback and Current Form (2021–2025)
After dropping back-to-back title fights, Reyes faced Jiří Procházka in the main event of UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka on May 1, 2021. In a wild, back-and-forth fight, Reyes stunned Procházka several times before being knocked out by a spinning back elbow in round two, an outcome that earned both men the Fight of the Night bonus. He later suffered a first-round knockout loss to Ryan Spann at UFC 281 in November 2022.
Reyes rebounded in 2024 with a first-round TKO win over Dustin Jacoby at UFC on ESPN 57, then stopped former title challenger Anthony Smith with second-round elbows and punches at UFC 310 in December 2024. He kept the momentum going at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, when he finished Nikita Krylov with a first-round knockout. Most recently, he headlined UFC Fight Night 260 on September 28, 2025, against Carlos Ulberg, where he was stopped by knockout in the first round.
Driving Style and Strengths
Reyes is a southpaw fighter who combines collegiate-level wrestling with one-punch knockout power, especially in his straight left and head kicks. His nickname reflects a knack for dismantling opponents with sudden, fight-ending strikes, and his 196 cm (77 in) frame gives him the reach to control distance against nearly anyone in the division. He has also shown a willingness to grind out decisions, as seen in his wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Volkan Oezdemir.
Notable Events and Milestones
His back-to-back UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fights against Jon Jones and Jan Błachowicz remain the defining moments of his career and confirmed him as a top-tier contender. The first-round knockout of Chris Weidman and the viral finish of Jordan Powell are widely cited as career highlights, and his Fight of the Night performance against Jiří Procházka is regarded as one of the best bouts of that UFC year.
Dominick Reyes Career Wins
Across his professional career, Reyes has accumulated 15 wins in 20 total bouts, with 4 victories by knockout, 2 by submission, and 1 by decision. Inside the UFC alone he has picked up multiple Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses, and he has finished notable names such as Jeremy Kimball, Jared Cannonier, Chris Weidman, Dustin Jacoby, Anthony Smith, and Nikita Krylov.
UFC Highlights
Reyes is a former UFC light heavyweight title challenger who went unbeaten in his first eight UFC appearances. His first UFC win came in 29 seconds against Joachim Christensen, and his most recent UFC victory was a first-round knockout of Nikita Krylov at UFC 314 in April 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Before joining the UFC, Reyes went 6–0 as a professional and 5–0 as an amateur, twice winning the U of MMA amateur title. His viral head-kick finish of Jordan Powell remains the most widely shared moment from his pre-UFC career.
Dominick Reyes Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Reyes comes from a working-class Mexican American family in Hesperia, California, and his father runs a cabinetry business where Reyes worked during his early post-football years. His older brother, Alex Reyes, is also a professional mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC’s Lightweight division, and the two trained together at the Combat Cage Academy that Alex founded.
Personal Life
Reyes currently resides in Victorville, California, and trains at Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai. Outside of fighting he is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers, and he enjoys snowboarding, wakeboarding, mountain biking, and dirt biking in his free time. He holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
2025 Season Performance
Reyes opened 2025 by stopping Nikita Krylov with a first-round left straight at UFC 314 on April 12, a finish that pushed him back into the official UFC light heavyweight rankings. The win over Krylov, combined with his December 2024 TKO of Anthony Smith, signaled a clear return to form after back-to-back stoppage losses earlier in his run.
On September 28, 2025, he headlined UFC Fight Night 260 against Carlos Ulberg in his first main event since the Procházka fight. Ulberg was able to land a fight-ending combination in round one, however, and the loss dropped Reyes from a top-five position. Heading into the rest of 2025, Reyes is still ranked #8 in the UFC light heavyweight division, leaving the door open for another high-profile bounce-back fight in 2026.