Nascimento targets flyweight rankings after four-fight streak ahead of UFC Vegas 119

Allan Nascimento steps into the octagon at UFC Vegas 119 this Saturday against Mitch Raposo with a four-fight winning streak and a growing frustration: despite his form, the Brazilian flyweight remains unranked in a division he believes he has already earned a place in.

Nascimento, known as “Puro Osso”, endured a difficult stretch between 2022 and 2024 that was largely derailed by injuries. He has since found his footing in 2025, posting back-to-back wins over Jafel Filho and a bonus-winning submission of Cody Durden. The Raposo bout was originally set for April 18 before being pushed back after his opponent fell ill.

The Chute Boxe product is candid about his feelings toward the UFC’s ranking panel. “The rankings are totally influenced by the people who make them,” Nascimento told MMA Fighting. “When you bring in an athlete coming off a loss, one who has never been ranked before, and put them at No. 15, while another athlete on a four-fight win streak doesn’t get in, there’s no logic to it.”

He is careful not to let the slight consume him. “I want to be in the rankings, I want to be part of them, but I don’t build expectations around that,” he said. “Of course I want to be in the top 15, top 10, top 5, but it doesn’t depend only on me. It depends on the people who vote and choose who they want there.”

Nascimento believes consistency is the one lever he can control. He argued that fight frequency is uniquely important in MMA compared to other sports, where athletes can absorb losses and recover quickly across a packed schedule. “Rhythm makes a difference for every athlete,” he said. “Going into another fight in such a short time is great because that feeling is still fresh.”

He was equally blunt about the stakes a loss carries in the sport. “In fighting, one loss can drop you three or four steps and really sink you, changing your entire perspective — especially in the UFC. So let’s go for another fight.”

Nascimento also referenced compatriot Charles Oliveira, who beat Mateusz Gamrot in October, as a source of motivation. “Charles opened the doors in the UFC, and now it’s time to keep stacking wins,” he said.

A victory over Raposo in Las Vegas would give Nascimento five consecutive UFC wins and make it increasingly difficult for the ranking panel to overlook him. He acknowledged as much, saying that “at some point, with win after win, there won’t be much of a way around it.”