Rafael Estevam’s UFC Win and Later Career Path
Rafael Estevam defeated Jesus Aguilar by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 102 in Las Vegas on February 15, 2025. The result extended his unbeaten record at that point. Later weight misses and a move to bantamweight changed the trajectory of his UFC career; the earlier flyweight result remains part of his record.
On February 15, 2025, Estevam faced Jesus Aguilar in Las Vegas and won a three-round unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 29-28. The official event recap and judges’ scorecards confirm the result. At that point he was 13-0 as a professional and had not fought in well over a year.
The Aguilar bout was a clean weigh-in
For the Aguilar fight, Estevam weighed 126 pounds, within the 126-pound allowance for a non-title flyweight bout. Aguilar weighed 125.5. The official weigh-in report shows that both athletes made weight.
Weight had already been an issue earlier in his career: Estevam missed the flyweight limit for his November 2023 promotional debut against Charles Johnson after a difficult cut also caused an earlier booking to be canceled. MMA Junkie’s contemporaneous report, republished by Yahoo Sports, covered both episodes. The 2025 Aguilar weigh-in was therefore a successful exception at that stage, not evidence that the wider concern had permanently disappeared.
Later flyweight success came with another miss
Estevam kept his record perfect in the cage when he returned on August 2, 2025, defeating Felipe Bunes by unanimous decision. He did not, however, make the flyweight limit: Estevam weighed 130 pounds, four pounds over the non-title limit, and the bout proceeded at catchweight with a purse penalty. MMA Fighting’s weigh-in report documents the miss, while his official athlete record lists the decision win.
That made the February article’s emphasis on discipline and a smooth cut a short-lived snapshot. Estevam’s grappling and ability to win decisions remained important strengths, but repeated scale problems complicated his progress at 125 pounds. A planned flyweight contest with Allan Nascimento later that year was withdrawn before it took place, and the next scheduled bout came at a heavier division.
The move to bantamweight did not end the issue
Estevam made his bantamweight debut against Ethyn Ewing on April 4, 2026. He weighed 136.5 pounds, half a pound over the non-title bantamweight limit; the bout proceeded at catchweight. This was reported as his third miss in four promotional fights, following two misses at flyweight. MMA Fighting’s weigh-in report details the numbers and penalty.
Ewing stopped Estevam with strikes at 1:44 of the third round. The result ended Estevam’s unbeaten run and changed the context of this story: the February 2025 performance was one successful night at flyweight, not proof that weight management would remain settled or that he was on an uninterrupted rise. The current official profile lists his division as bantamweight and records the loss; its professional record is now 14-1.
Estevam’s win over Aguilar remains a meaningful result: he controlled enough of the contest to earn three matching 29-28 scores and preserved an undefeated record at the time. The retrospective should keep that achievement in view while being precise about what followed. His next fight brought another win but another substantial miss, then a move up in weight, a smaller miss, and his first professional defeat.
