Raphael Assuncao is a well-known mixed martial artist who has made a name for himself in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
However, not many people know about his younger brother, Júnior Assunção, who is also a professional MMA fighter.
Raphael Assuncao Siblings: Meet Júnior Assunção
Júnior Assunção was born on March 20, 1982, in Fortaleza, Brazil. He is the younger brother of Raphael Assuncao, who is a top-ranked bantamweight fighter in the UFC. Júnior started his career in martial arts at a young age and began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. He eventually transitioned into mixed martial arts and began competing professionally in 2004.
Júnior Assunção started his professional MMA career in 2004 and fought primarily in regional promotions in Brazil and the United States. He quickly amassed an impressive record of 8-1 and caught the attention of the UFC. In 2006, he signed with the UFC and made his debut at UFC 64. Unfortunately, Júnior lost his first UFC fight to Kurt Pellegrino via submission.
After his loss to Kurt Pellegrino, Júnior Assunção returned to regional promotions and fought in several organizations, including the International Fight League (IFL), where he competed as a member of the Atlanta Silverbacks. Júnior had a successful run in the IFL and won all four of his fights with the team. He also fought for other regional promotions such as King of the Cage and the Maximum Fighting Championship.
In 2010, Júnior Assunção was signed by the UFC for the second time. He returned to the promotion with a record of 11-4 and faced Eddie Yagin in his first fight back. Unfortunately, Júnior lost the fight via unanimous decision. He then fought Ross Pearson at UFC 141 and lost via unanimous decision again. After his loss to Pearson, Júnior was released from the UFC and began fighting for regional promotions once again.
Júnior Assunção retired from professional MMA in 2014 with a record of 13-6. He had a successful career in the sport and fought against some of the top fighters in the world. Júnior now focuses on coaching and training other fighters at his gym, Ascension MMA, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source: Mckpage.com
