Dos Anjos Ends 2-Year Layoff, Faces Hernandez at UFC 332

Rafael dos Anjos is set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon, with a person familiar with the situation reporting that the former champion will face Alexander Hernandez at UFC 332 on October 3 in Salt Lake City, though the promotion had not officially announced the matchup at the time.

Dos Anjos, 41, comes back to lightweight after a two-year absence carrying a professional record of 32 wins and 17 losses. The Brazilian southpaw out of RDA Academy is one of the most decorated veterans in the division's history, and at five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, he has long relied on a well-rounded game. His striking accuracy sits at 47 percent, and he averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes, reflecting the grappling threat that has defined his career.

Hernandez, 33, enters the bout as a seasoned lightweight with an 18-9 record. The American fighter, who trains out of Factory X, stands five-foot-nine with a 72-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He lands 4.31 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the more active strikers in the division, and adds a modest takedown dimension at 1.14 per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Dos Anjos ending a two-year layoff on a numbered pay-per-view card signals the promotion sees him as a relevant name at 155 pounds.
• A win for either fighter carries real weight in a lightweight division where veteran credibility translates quickly into ranking movement.
• The stylistic contrast is notable — Hernandez's high-volume striking output against dos Anjos's superior accuracy and takedown frequency sets up a meaningful technical puzzle.
• At 41, dos Anjos faces the kind of proven opposition that will immediately clarify where his level sits upon his return.