Three surgeries and a retirement scare: Rafael dos Anjos returns at UFC 332

Rafael dos Anjos will end a near two-year absence when he faces Alexander Hernandez at UFC 332 on October 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City — a return that almost never happened after a gruelling sequence of three knee surgeries left the former lightweight champion contemplating retirement.

Dos Anjos suffered a 90-second stoppage loss to Geoff Neal in October 2023, injuring his left knee in the process. What followed was a medical ordeal that stretched well into 2025. A surgeon in Brazil initially attempted to stitch his meniscus rather than remove it — a decision dos Anjos describes as a serious error. The meniscus tore again within four or five months, forcing a second operation in Austin, Texas. That procedure brought its own complications: the American doctor allegedly left stitches inside the knee, causing persistent inflammation and preventing full extension. A third surgery was required earlier this year.

“I had three surgeries back-to-back,” dos Anjos told Ariel Helwani. “After the Geoff Neal fight, I had meniscus surgery, and the doctor in Brazil made a mistake. He actually tried to stitch up my meniscus, which was a terrible mistake. Four or five months after the surgery, my meniscus tore again, so I had to redo it. I had to have the meniscus removed, and the doctor in Austin, Texas, left a couple of stitches inside my knee, believe it or not. It was causing inflammation. I couldn’t get full extension, and then I had surgery for the third time at the beginning of this year.”

The 41-year-old admits the cumulative toll brought him to a crossroads. “For a second, I thought, ‘Man, this is it,’” he said. “But looking at my results, I’m coming from losses, but I haven’t been dominated. I want to give it a chance. I still have four more fights on my contract.”

Dos Anjos carries a record of 32-17 into the bout and is looking to snap a three-fight losing skid. His opponent, Hernandez (18-9), arrives having lost his most recent outing against Rafa Garcia, a defeat that ended a four-fight winning streak.

For dos Anjos, UFC 332 represents more than a comeback fight — it is the first test of a rebuilt knee and, by his own account, a final answer to the question of whether his career had already ended without a proper farewell.