Antonio Carlos Junior left the UFC and earned the 2021 PFL Global title by collecting points in a two-fight regular season. In 2025 he won the PFL World Tournament grand prix, submitting Sullivan Cauley in the final to claim the light heavyweight championship. Carlos Junior becomes the second fighter to win both a PFL Global and a PFL World Tournament, joining Movlid Khaybulaev. He cited past hardships and injuries surrounding prior seasons and said he will rest, help his training partner, and enjoy the belt before deciding on future matchups.
I had a really hard time in 2021. I got out of UFC, I thought my life, my career in MMA was done, and I come here and I won the belt. It was just unbelievable.
After a lot of injuries, fighting against tough guys and getting another belt - I'm the only one at light heavyweight to win two times, so it's hard to describe right now.
It would be terrible if I had to fight him. We're professionals, but it would be really terrible. I'll talk to PFL. Dovlet is going to fight Anderson right now. I'm going to rest for a little bit, come back to help him out for this fight, and let's see. I don't know, I don't know yet. I'm just trying to enjoy the belt for a while.
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