HOLLYWOOD, Fla. \u2013 Antonio Carlos Junior didn’t have an easy road to the 2025 PFL light heavyweight title.<\/p>\n
Not only did “Shoeface” have to fight and beat three different opponents in a little more than four months, but he also had to fight himself, as injuries plagued the 27-fight veteran. Carlos Junior (19-6), who submitted Sullivan Cauley (8-2) with a rear-naked choke at 2025 PFL World Tournament 10<\/a>\u00a0to win his second PFL title, battled some serious knee injuries that had him questioning his chances on making history.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “It was great to overcome, especially after a lot of injuries,” Carlos Junior said at the 2025 PFL World Tournament 10 post-fight interview. “I had so many injuries in my knee that sometimes I even doubt myself, but here we are, man, champion again. This is a really special moment.”<\/p>\n Carlos Junior is the first person to become a two-time PFL light heavyweight tournament champion. He won the title in 2021 and now again in 2025. All of this success in PFL, which has spanned over a 9-1 run, came after Carlos Junior getting his walking papers from the UFC \u2013 a moment he thought was career-ending for him in MMA.<\/p>\n “They both are really special, and it’s always after a hard time in my life,” Carlos Junior said. “I had a really hard time in 2021. I got out of the UFC. I thought my career in MMA was done, but I come here, and I won the belt, and it was just unbelievable. Then after a lot of injuries, coming back here and fighting against a tough guy and getting another belt. I’m the only one at light heavyweight to win it two times. It’s hard to describe how I’m feeling right now.”<\/p>\n