Julio Arce
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Julio Arce (born October 27, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist. He currently compete in the Featherweight division of the Professional Fighters League. Arce competed in the Bantamweight division in the UFC. Julio Arce is a instructor and student at Tiger Schulmann's MMA founded by Tiger Schulmann
Background
Arce was born in Florida but moved to Colombia as a child, returning stateside around the age of ten. He graduated from Benjamin N. Cardozo High School and got his associate degree in business afterwards.
At fourteen and weighing 200 pounds, Arce joined Team Tiger Schulmann combat gym to lose weight. He started training, competed in kickboxing, and won the New York Golden Gloves championship in 2011 in boxing prior to transitioning to MMA in 2012.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Arce started his professional MMA career in 2012 and fought most of his fights in Ring of Combat promotion and he was the bantamweight and featherweight champion. He amassed a record of 8–1 before signed by UFC.
Dana White's Contender Series
Arce appeared in Dana White's Contender Series 5 web series program. He faced Peter Petties and won the fight via technical knockout. Even with the win, Arce was not awarded a UFC contract at that event. However, he was later signed by the UFC on short notice to replace an injured Charles Rosa at UFC 220.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Arce made his UFC debut on January 20, 2018, against Dan Ige, replacing an injured Charles Rosa at UFC 220. He won the fight via unanimous decision with the scoreboard of (30-27, 30–27, 29–28).
His next fight came on June 1, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 131 against Daniel Teymur. He won the fight via a rear-naked choke in the third round.
Arce faced Sheymon Moraes on November 3, 2018, at UFC 230. He lost the fight via split decision.
Arce faced Julian Erosa on May 18, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 152. He won the fight via knockout in the third round.
Arce faced Hakeem Dawodu on November 2, 2019, at UFC 244. He lost the fight by a split decision.
Arce was expected to face Timur Valiev on a bantamweight bout on February 6, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 184. However, Arce was removed from the event in late January due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Martin Day.
Arce faced Andre Ewell on July 24, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw. He won in the second round via technical knockout.
Arce faced Song Yadong on November 13, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 197. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.
As the first fight of his new four-fight contract, Arce faced Daniel Santos on April 9, 2022, at UFC 273. At the weigh-ins, Arce weighed in at 136.5 pounds, half a pound over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse which went to Santos. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
Arce faced Montel Jackson on November 12, 2022, at UFC 281. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Arce was scheduled to face Cody Garbrandt on March 4, 2023, at UFC 285. However, Arce withdrew in late January due to a knee injury and was replaced by Trevin Jones.
Arce faced Herbert Burns on March 30, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 54. At the weigh ins, Arce weighed in at 147.25 pounds, one and a quarter pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined 20 percent of his purse which went to his opponent Burns. Arce won the fight via technical knockout in round two.
Global Fight League
On January 24, 2025, it was announced that Arce had parted ways with the UFC and signed with the Global Fight League. However, in April 2025, it was reported that all GFL events were cancelled indefinitely.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship Highest takedown defense percentage in UFC history (96.2%)
- Ring of Combat Ring of Combat Bantamweight Champion (one time; former) Three successful title defenses Right of Combat Featherweight Champion (one time; former) Two successful title defenses
Boxing
- Golden Gloves Golden Gloves 2011 Champion
Personal life
Arce is a head instructor at the Tiger Schulmann’s Bayside location in Queens, NY.
Mixed martial arts record
| 28 matches | 21 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 7 | 1 |
| By submission | 5 | 1 |
| By decision | 9 | 5 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 21–7 | Alexei Pergande | Decision (unanimous) | PFL Pittsburgh: Eblen vs. Battle | March 28, 2026 | 3 | 5:00 | Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Win | 21–6 | Wilson Reis | KO (punch) | Victory Fighting League: Clash of the Champions | October 24, 2025 | 1 | 2:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 20–6 | Sheymon Moraes | Decision (unanimous) | Victory Fighting League: Battle of the Burroughs | August 15, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 19–6 | Herbert Burns | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot | March 30, 2024 | 2 | 2:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Return to Featherweight; Arce missed weight (147.25 lb). Burns was deducted one point in round 1 due to repeated illegal groin strikes. |
| Loss | 18–6 | Montel Jackson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 281 | November 12, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 18–5 | Daniel Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 273 | April 9, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Catchweight (136.5 lb) bout; Arce missed weight. |
| Loss | 17–5 | Song Yadong | TKO (head kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez | November 13, 2021 | 2 | 1:35 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 17–4 | Andre Ewell | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw | July 24, 2021 | 2 | 3:45 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Loss | 16–4 | Hakeem Dawodu | Decision (split) | UFC 244 | November 2, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 16–3 | Julian Erosa | KO (head kick) | UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee | May 18, 2019 | 3 | 1:49 | Rochester, New York, United States | |
| Loss | 15–3 | Sheymon Moraes | Decision (split) | UFC 230 | November 3, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 15–2 | Daniel Teymur | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Rivera vs. Moraes | June 1, 2018 | 3 | 2:55 | Utica, New York, United States | |
| Win | 14–2 | Dan Ige | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 220 | January 20, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | |
| Win | 13–2 | Peter Petties | TKO (punches) | Dana White's Contender Series 5 | August 8, 2017 | 2 | 2:39 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Tim Dooling | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Combat 59 | June 2, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Ring of Combat Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–2 | Frank Buenafuente | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Ring of Combat 58 | February 24, 2017 | 2 | 3:59 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Ring of Combat Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 10–2 | Frank Buenafuente | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Combat 57 | November 18, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Won the Ring of Combat Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–2 | Francisco Isata | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Fury FC 60 | August 6, 2016 | 2 | 3:16 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Featherweight debut. |
| Loss | 8–2 | Brian Kelleher | Submission (guillotine choke) | Ring of Combat 54 | March 4, 2016 | 3 | 0:18 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | For the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Loss | 8–1 | Brian Kelleher | Decision (majority) | Ring of Combat 52 | September 25, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Lost the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–0 | Michael Imperato | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Combat 51 | June 5, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Thomas Vasquez | TKO (punches) | Ring of Combat 50 | January 23, 2015 | 3 | 3:46 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–0 | Jake Grigson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Ring of Combat 49 | September 19, 2014 | 1 | 2:20 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Defended the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Jason McLean | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Combat 47 | January 24, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Won the Ring of Combat Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Corey Simmons | Submission (rear-naked hoke) | Ring of Combat 46 | September 20, 2013 | 2 | 3:49 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Dennis Dombrow | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Combat 45 | June 14, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Umaer Haq | Decision (unanimous) | Xtreme Caged Combat: Backlash | November 2, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Kenneth Nagle | KO (punches) | Matrix Fights 6 | July 13, 2012 | 1 | 1:46 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Bantamweight debut. |