Introduction
Rani Ahmad Yahya (born September 12, 1984) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and BJJ practitioner. Yahya was born to a Syrian father and Brazilian mother. He won the 66 kg division of the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in April 2007. He currently fights in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Career
World Extreme Cagefighting
Yahya made his WEC debut against former TKO Major League MMA featherweight champion Mark Hominick at WEC 28 on May 3, 2007. Yahya defeated Hominick in the first round with a rear naked choke.
He fought and lost to Chase Beebe via unanimous decision for the WEC bantamweight championship at WEC 30 on September 5, 2007.
Yahya rebounded from his loss to Beebe with a first round submission victory over former WEC Bantamweight Champion Eddie Wineland on the undercard of WEC 40 on April 5, 2009.
Yahya was scheduled to fight Kenji Osawa on August 9, 2009 at WEC 42, but due to a foot injury suffered by Osawa, he was replaced by John Hosman. Yahya submitted Hosman with a north–south choke in the first round and earned his third consecutive Submission of the Night bonus.
Yahya fought Joseph Benavidez on December 19, 2009 at WEC 45. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
Yahya faced Takeya Mizugaki on April 24, 2010 at WEC 48. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
On October 28, 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were brought over to compete in the 2 new weight divisions.
Yahya was expected to face Chan Sung Jung on January 22, 2011 at UFC Fight Night 23. However, Jung was forced from the card with an injury. and replaced by Mike Brown. Yahya won the fight via unanimous decision.
Yahya was expected to face Dustin Poirier on June 11, 2011 at UFC 131, but had to pull out of the bout due to injury.
Yahya next faced Chad Mendes on August 6, 2011 at UFC 133. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Yahya was expected to face Jonathan Brookins on February 15, 2012 at UFC on Fuel TV 1, but was forced out of the bout with an injury.
Yahya fought Josh Grispi on August 4, 2012 at UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera, replacing an injured Pablo Garza. Yahya was victorious, defeating Grispi in the first round with a north-south choke.
Yahya faced promotional newcomer Mizuto Hirota on March 3, 2013 at UFC on Fuel TV 8. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Yahya next faced Josh Clopton on August 3, 2013 at UFC 163. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Yahya faced promotional newcomer Tom Niinimäki on November 30, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. He lost the fight via split decision.
Yahya faced Johnny Bedford in a bantamweight bout on April 11, 2014 at UFC Fight Night 39. The bout ended in a No Contest as an accidental clash of heads rendered Yahya unable to protect himself, forcing a referee stoppage at 0:39 of round 1.
A rematch with Bedford was expected to take place on June 28, 2014 at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Stephens. However, Yahya was forced out of the bout and replaced by Cody Gibson.
The rescheduled rematch with Bedford eventually took place on September 13, 2014 at UFC Fight Night 51. Yahya won via submission in the second round.
Yahya was expected to face Masanori Kanehara on June 27, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 70. However, as the event approached, several international fighters experienced travel restrictions due to technical issues within the Bureau of Consular Affairs division of the U.S. State Department which produces travel visas. The issue lead to a major altering of the card as multiple fights were postponed. Yahya/Kanehara eventually took place on July 15, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 71. Yahya won the fight by split decision.
Yahya next faced touted promotional newcomer Matthew Lopez on July 13, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 91. Yahya won the fight via submission in the third round.
Yahya faced Michinori Tanaka on September 24, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 95. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Grappling credentials
ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships
ADCC 2007 –65 kg: 1st Place
ADCC 2005 –65 kg: 2nd Place
ADCC 2003 –65 kg: Quarter finals.
Record of opponents:
- Won: Teemu Launis (pts), Mario Delgado (pts), Wagney Fabiano (pts), Marcio Feitosa Souza (pts), Darell Moodley (sub), Bruno 'Chavez' Frazzato (Rear Naked Choke), Baret Yoshida (pts), Leo 'Leozinho' Vieira (Rear Naked Choke), Kohei Yasumi (sub), Jeff Glover (pts)
- Lost: Leonardo Viera (pts), Leonardo Viera (pts), Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles (sub)
CBJJ World Championships
2003 Brown Belt Pena: 1st Place
2002 Purple Belt Pluma: 1st Place
1999 Pan-Ams + World
Championships and Accomplishments
- K-1 HERO'S
- 2006 K-1 HERO'S Lightweight Grand Prix Semifinalist
- TNT
- TNT: Vale Tudo 2 Tournament Winner
- World Extreme Cagefighting
- Submission of the Night (2 Times)
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 32 matches | 23 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 0 | 2 |
| By submission | 17 | 1 |
| By decision | 6 | 5 |
| No contests | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 23–8 (1) | Michinori Tanaka | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Cyborg vs. Lansberg | September 24, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Brasília, Brazil | |
| Win | 22–8 (1) | Matthew Lopez | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: McDonald vs. Lineker | July 13, 2016 | 3 | 4:19 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| Win | 21–8 (1) | Masanori Kanehara | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee | July 15, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | San Diego, California, United States | |
| Win | 20–8 (1) | Johnny Bedford | Submission (kimura) | UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski | September 13, 2014 | 2 | 2:04 | Brasília, Brazil | |
| NC | 19–8 (1) | Johnny Bedford | No Contest (accidental headbutt) | UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Nelson | April 11, 2014 | 1 | 0:39 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Loss | 19–8 | Tom Niinimäki | Decision (split) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate Finale | November 30, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–7 | Josh Clopton | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 163 | August 3, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 18–7 | Mizuto Hirota | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fuel TV: Silva vs. Stann | March 3, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 17–7 | Josh Grispi | Submission (north-south choke) | UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera | August 4, 2012 | 1 | 3:15 | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| Loss | 16–7 | Chad Mendes | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 133 | August 6, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Win | 16–6 | Mike Brown | Decision (unanimous) | UFC: Fight For The Troops 2 | January 22, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Fort Hood, Texas, United States | Return to Featherweight. |
| Loss | 15–6 | Takeya Mizugaki | Decision (unanimous) | WEC 48 | April 24, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | |
| Loss | 15–5 | Joseph Benavidez | TKO (punches) | WEC 45 | December 19, 2009 | 1 | 1:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 15–4 | John Hosman | Submission (north-south choke) | WEC 42 | August 9, 2009 | 1 | 2:08 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Submission of the Night. |
| Win | 14–4 | Eddie Wineland | Submission (rear-naked choke) | WEC 40 | April 5, 2009 | 1 | 1:07 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Submission of the Night. |
| Win | 13–4 | Yoshiro Maeda | Submission (guillotine choke) | WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown | November 5, 2008 | 1 | 3:30 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Catchweight (137 lbs) bout; Yahya missed weight. Submission of the Night. |
| Loss | 12–4 | Norifumi Yamamoto | TKO (punches and soccer kicks) | K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! | December 31, 2007 | 2 | 3:11 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Loss | 12–3 | Chase Beebe | Decision (unanimous) | WEC 30 | September 5, 2007 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the WEC Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–2 | Mark Hominick | Submission (rear-naked choke) | WEC 28 | June 3, 2007 | 1 | 1:19 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–2 | Louie Moreno | Submission (guillotine choke) | PFC 2: Fast and Furious | March 22, 2007 | 1 | 0:23 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Loss | 10–2 | Gesias Cavalcante | Submission (guillotine choke) | Hero's 7 | October 9, 2006 | 1 | 0:39 | Yokohama, Japan | Hero's 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix semi-final. |
| Win | 10–1 | Kazuya Yasuhiro | Submission (D'Arce choke) | Hero's 6 | August 5, 2006 | 1 | 1:08 | Tokyo, Japan | Hero's 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix quarter-final. |
| Win | 9–1 | Eben Kaneshiro | Submission (Ezekiel choke) | UAGF: Kaos on Kampus | May 20, 2006 | 3 | N/A | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Ryuki Ueyama | Decision (majority) | Hero's 5 | May 3, 2006 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Hero's 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix opening round. |
| Win | 7–1 | Takumi Yano | Technical Submission (triangle choke) | MARS | February 4, 2006 | 3 | 2:14 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 6–1 | Taiyo Nakahara | Submission (north-south choke) | GCM: D.O.G. 4 | December 11, 2005 | 1 | 1:59 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 5–1 | Fabio Alves | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | K-1 Brazil: Next Generation | October 30, 2004 | 1 | N/A | Goiás, Brazil | |
| Loss | 4–1 | Fredson Paixao | Decision | Jungle Fight 2 | May 15, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Manaus, Brazil | |
| Win | 4–0 | Luciano Santos | Submission (keylock) | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | April 17, 2004 | N/A | N/A | Goiânia, Brazil | |
| Win | 3–0 | Muzila Muzila | Submission (armbar) | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | April 17, 2004 | N/A | N/A | Goiânia, Brazil | |
| Win | 2–0 | Fabio Alves | Submission (Peruvian necktie) | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | April 17, 2004 | N/A | N/A | Goiânia, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Junior Peba | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Kallifas Vale Tudo | September 14, 2002 | 1 | 1:30 | Goiânia, Brazil |