After extending his UFC win streak, Raphael Assuncao positioning himself for title shot

Since getting knocked out by Erik Koch in his UFC debut, Raphael Assuncao has quietly built one of the UFC’s most impressive win streaks.

The Brazilian bantamweight has won six straight in the octagon, including a dominant decision over highly touted prospect Pedro Munhoz at this past Saturday’s UFC 170. Most fighters with a similar run would be in the running for a title shot, if not already awarded one. Yet the 31-year-old fighter continues to fight opponents with little to no name value.

Even after a split call over T.J. Dillashaw, who works with the highly regarded Team Alpha Male, Assuncao (22-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC) was paired with Munhoz (10-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who despite his promise was a UFC newcomer.

Assuncao is one of dozens of UFC standouts who quietly do their work and don’t speak up too much about their career, but that may be changing soon. While he remains deferential to the UFC, there’s only so long he can sit back and wait.

“I think my consistency and my record is showing right now,” Assuncao said after his recent win, which served on the pay-per-view event’s FOX Sports 1-televised preliminary card. “I’m happy for my sixth win in a row. But whatever the UFC decides.

“I just feel I’m in position, and I’ve been getting better every fight. The past fighters I’ve fought, I’ve been breaking their win streaks.”

Assuncao handed Munhoz his first professional debut after Munhoz gave up the RFA belt he won in a bout with the vastly more experienced UFC belt Jeff Curran. Munhoz was unable to leverage his aggression into points scored when the two traded punches and kicks in a largely standup fight.

UFC President Dana White had his hands full at UFC 170's press conference with women’s bantam champ Ronda Rousey’s stoppage of Sara McMann, Rousey’s future challenges, and the grudge match between Daniel Cormier and Patrick Cummins, and so he wasn’t able to offer much when asked what lay next for Assuncao.

“We’ll see what happens,” White said. “I don’t make fights the night of the fight. Obviously he’s in a great spot, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Hopefully, the Brazilian is able to secure an opponent with a top-five ranking in his next bout. Although Dillashaw rebounded from his loss to Assuncao and many are looking at him as a future contender, it’s Assuncao who is technically ahead of him in line.

Eddie Wineland recently got back on the winning track, and he would provide a perfect bridge to bigger things. While Assuncao undoubtedly is impatient for a title shot, and recently brushed off the former WEC champ, more high-profile wins would give him a good argument for one.

Bantam champ Renan Barao is slicing through the competition at 135 pounds, anyway, so the UFC needs fresh contenders. Assuncao isn’t a name yet, but he can be built into one.

For complete coverage of UFC 170, check out the UFC Events section of the site.