Rani Yahya
 |
Name | Rani Yahya |
| Nickname | N/A | |
| Association | Rickson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu | |
| Weight Class | Featherweight (145 lbs.) / Bantamweight (135 lbs.) | |
| Height | 5' 6" (168 cm) | |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | |
| Birth Date | December 12, 1984 | |
| Fighting Out Of | San Diego, California | |
| Country | Brazil | |
| Rani Yahya Pictures | Official Website |
Rani Yahya is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He currently fights in the the Zuffa owned World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). He began fighting as a Featherweight, but has recently moved down to compete as a Bantamweight. He was the former WEC Featherweight title challenger, who fought for the belt against Chase Beebe, losing a unanimous decision judges decision.
[edit] Professional Record
| Record | 18 - 7 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 0 (T)KOs 15 Submissions 3 Decisions |
| Losses | 2 (T)KOs 1 Submissions 4 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Mizuto Hirota | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC on FUEL TV 8: Silva vs. Stann | 3/2/2013 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Josh Grispi | Submission (North-South Choke) | UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera | 8/4/2012 | 1 | 3:15 | |
| Loss | Chad Mendes | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz 2 | 8/06/2011 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Mike Brown | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC Fight Night 23: UFC Fight for the Troops 2 | 1/22/2011 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Takeya Mizugaki | Decision (Unanimous) | WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber | 4/24/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Joseph Benavidez | TKO (Punches) | WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff | 12/19/2009 | 1 | 1:35 | |
| Win | John Hosman | Submission (North-South Choke) | WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles | 8/09/2009 | 1 | 2:08 | Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Win | Eddie Wineland | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | WEC 40: Torres vs. Mizugaki | 4/05/2009 | 1 | 1:07 | Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Win | Yoshiro Maeda | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown | 11/05/2008 | 1 | 3:30 | Catchweight bout (137 lbs.); Yahya failed to make weight; Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Loss | Norifumi Yamamoto | TKO (Punches and Soccer Kicks) | K-1: Premium 2007 Dynamite!! | 12/31/2007 | 2 | N/A | |
| Loss | Chase Beebe | Decision (Unanimous) | WEC 30: McCullough vs. Crunkilton | 9/05/2007 | 5 | 5:00 | For WEC Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | Mark Hominick | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | WEC 28: Faber vs. Farrar | 6/03/2007 | 1 | 1:19 | WEC debut |
| Win | Louie Moreno | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | PFC 2: Fast and Furious | 3/22/2007 | 1 | 0:23 | |
| Loss | Gesias Cavalcante | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | K-1: Hero's 7 | 10/09/2006 | 1 | 0:39 | |
| Win | Kazuya Yasuhiro | Submission (Brabo Choke) | K-1: Hero's 6 | 8/05/2006 | 1 | 1:08 | |
| Win | Eben Kaneshiro | Submission (Choke) | UAGF: Kaos on the Kampus | 5/20/2006 | 3 | N/A | |
| Win | Ryuki Ueyama | Decision (Majority) | K-1: Hero's 5 | 5/03/2006 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Takumi Yano | Technical Submission (Triangle Choke) | MARS | 2/04/2006 | 3 | 2:14 | |
| Win | Taiyo Nakahara | Submission (North-South Choke) | GCM: D.O.G. 4 | 12/11/2005 | 1 | 1:59 | |
| Win | Fabio Alves | Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | K-1 Brazil: Next Generation | 10/30/2004 | 1 | N/A | |
| Loss | Fredson Paixao | Decision | JF 2: Jungle Fight 2 | 5/15/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Luciano Santos | Submission | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | 4/17/2004 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | Muzila Mizila | Submission | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | 4/17/2004 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | Fabio Alves | Submission | TNT: Vale Tudo 2 | 4/17/2004 | N/A | N/A | |
| Win | Junior Peba | Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | KVT: Kallifas Vale Tudo | 9/14/2002 | 1 | 1:30 | |
[edit] Mixed Martial Arts Career
Yahya's made his WEC debut against former TKO featherweight champion Mark Hominick at WEC 28 in Las Vegas on May 3, 2007. Yahya defeated Hominick in the first round with a rear naked choke submission hold.
He then fought Chase Beebe for the WEC bantamweight championship at WEC 30 on September 5, 2007. Yahya lost the fight via unanimous decision.
He then fought Norifumi Yamamoto at K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! on December 31, 2007, and lost his second consecutive fight via TKO.
Yahya bounced back with a submission victory over former-WEC Bantamweight title challenger Yoshiro Maeda at WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown. He then went on to defeat the first WEC Bantamweight Champion Eddie Wineland at WEC 40: Torres vs. Mizugaki at 1:07 in the first round with a Rear Naked Choke. For his submission victory Yahya won the Submission of the Night Honors.
His next fight was supposed to be against Kenji Osawa, but he was forced to drop out due to injury, so he ended up fighting against John Hosman at WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles, where he submitted Hosman with a North-South Choke. For the second fight in a row, Yahya won the Submission of the Night Honors.
Yahya returned to face off against Joseph Benavidez on December 19, 2009 at WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff. Yahya used his reach to keep Benavidez at bay early, and his jab was effective in parts. But Benavidez continued to swing for the fences in fierce flurries. While most caught nothing but air, a right hand found its mark, and Yahya collapsed to the floor. Benavidez rushed in to deliver the finishing blows, and referee Kim Winslow hurried in to save the grappler just 95 seconds after the bout began.
He returned to action at WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber, where he faced off against former WEC Bantamweight title challenger Takeya Mizugaki. The two waged a tentative ground war where Mizugaki played it safe on the ground and had a hard time mounting any significant offense. Mizugaki went on to win the Decision (Unanimous), handing Yahya his second consecutive loss.
[edit] Ranks and Titles
- Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Three-time world jiu-jitsu champ
- 2007 Abu-Dhabi world champion
