2018 has been a breakout year for Rafael Lovato Jr.
Prior to 2018, Lovato Jr was a name relegated to the periphery of the hardcore jiu jitsu fandom, While Lovato Jr has racked up a serious tally of medals in the gi and nogi world, it wasn’t until 2018 that the multiple time nogi world champion became a high profile figure in the world of mixed martial arts. Following two impressive submission victories in Bellator MMA, Lovato has earned himself a title shot against the ever dangerous Gegard Mousasi on January 26th, but that didn’t stop the Oklahoma native from returning to the mats on Saturday night in San Diego.