Bleacher Report · Jul 12, 2018
Raphael Assuncao Is UFC's Most Underrated Fighter, and He's Earned a Title Shot
Raphael Assuncao (top) punches Rob Font.T.J. Dillashaw is the UFC's reigning bantamweight king. Dating back to his 2011 debut, only three men have found a way to beat him.
The first, John Dodson, once fought for the flyweight title and is now a mid-level contender at 135 pounds. He is currently ranked No. 7 on the official UFC bantamweight rankings. Dodson is 3-2 over the past two years.
Injuries forced the second, Dominick Cruz, into semi-retirement after multiple title reigns. Cruz is No. 2 in the rankings despite not competing for the past 18 months.
The third is Raphael Assuncao. Currently the No. 3 ranked bantamweight, Assuncao's name doesn't ring out like the three above it.