Lightweight · “Prince of Peru”
Claudio Puelles
12-5-0 UFC 5-4-0
Smothering Control
Chain Wrestling
5'10"Height
72"Reach
SouthpawStance
30Age
0KO wins
3Sub wins
60.0%Finish rate
11:38Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
not yet read
grappling
elite
1 read
wrestling
not yet read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
Smothering Control
45% of every fight spent in control position
Chain Wrestling
23 takedowns from 68 attempts · 3.3 landed per 15 min
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min1.54
Sig. strikes absorbed / min2.62
Striking accuracy46.7%
Striking defense48.1%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.0
Takedowns / 15 min3.29
Takedown accuracy33.8%
Takedown defense60.0%
Sub attempts / 15 min1.0
Control time44.6%
Record vs .500+ opponents2-3
Insider info
Dan Hooker favored — picked against Claudio Puelles coinflip UFC 281 · November 8, 2022
grapplingelite
The analyst admits Puelles is probably the sharper pick on paper but says he can't bring himself to bet against the opponent, calling it a coin-flip he's picking with his heart.
Puelles has built a real specialty out of finishing fights on the mat, running a stretch where leg-lock submissions alone have accounted for multiple recent wins, and his takedowns are functional enough to get things there. His hands are the softer part of his game — his kicks carry more of his offense than his boxing does — but that matters less if he can consistently put the fight on the floor, where he's genuinely dangerous. He also benefits from how much a takedown threat alone can freeze up an opponent's striking defense, which could open up his own offense standing too.
Strengthdominant leg-lock and submission grappling
Strengthfunctional takedowns
Strengthkicking offense
Strengthtakedown threat alone can open up his striking
Weaknesslimited boxing and hand striking
Striking trend
Fight history
L Joaquim Silva 13-5 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — Noche UFC: Lopes vs. Silva · September 13, 2025
21/63Sig. strikes
25/66Absorbed
4/16Takedowns
7:25Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Fares Ziam 14-4 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 · February 24, 2024
4/9Sig. strikes
31/48Absorbed
7/13Takedowns
7:14Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Dan Hooker 21-12 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 4:06 — UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · November 12, 2022
5/18Sig. strikes
29/63Absorbed
0/8Takedowns
0:08Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Clay Guida 36-20 walk-in Submission · R1 3:01 — UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Andrade · April 23, 2022
1/3Sig. strikes
3/4Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:14Control
0Knockdowns
2Sub attempts
W Chris Gruetzemacher 15-4 walk-in Submission · R3 3:25 — UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Aldo · December 4, 2021
43/68Sig. strikes
38/55Absorbed
1/8Takedowns
6:20Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Jordan Leavitt 8-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai · June 5, 2021
20/33Sig. strikes
21/34Absorbed
4/4Takedowns
10:01Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Marcos Mariano 0-1 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Stephens · September 21, 2019
22/34Sig. strikes
2/9Absorbed
4/6Takedowns
13:20Control
0Knockdowns
2Sub attempts
W Felipe Silva 8-1 walk-in Submission · R3 2:23 — UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Usman · May 19, 2018
16/49Sig. strikes
70/130Absorbed
2/7Takedowns
1:29Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Martin Bravo 10-0 walk-in TITLE KO/TKO · R2 1:55 — UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Ferguson · November 5, 2016
29/68Sig. strikes
56/121Absorbed
1/6Takedowns
0:34Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
2
Submission
7
Decision
3
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
2
Submission
0
Decision
3
Other
0
Fights by organization
UFC
9
300 Sparta
4
Inka FC
4
Full career — 17 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Joaquim Silva | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva
September 13, 2025 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Farès Ziam | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2
February 24, 2024 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Dan Hooker | TKO (front kick to the body) | UFC 281
November 12, 2022 |
UFC | 2 | 4:06 |
| W | Clay Guida | Submission (kneebar) | UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Andrade
April 23, 2022 |
UFC | 1 | 3:01 |
| W | Chris Gruetzemacher | Submission (kneebar) | UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo
December 4, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 3:26 |
| W | Jordan Leavitt | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai
June 5, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Marcos Mariano | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens
September 21, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Felipe Silva | Submission (kneebar) | UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Usman
May 19, 2018 |
UFC | 3 | 2:23 |
| L | Martin Bravo | TKO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson
November 5, 2016 |
UFC | 2 | 1:55 |
| W | Alvaro Sugasti | KO (head kick) | 300 Sparta 6
April 18, 2015 |
300 Sparta | 1 | 1:24 |
| W | Edimar Martins Rayol | Submission (kneebar) | Inka FC: Inka Warriors 2
October 25, 2014 |
Inka FC | 1 | 2:36 |
| L | David Cubas | Decision (unanimous) | Inka FC: Inka Warriors 1
August 30, 2014 |
Inka FC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Lander Duarte Alves | Decision (unanimous) | Inka FC 25
April 16, 2014 |
Inka FC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Guile Calvete | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 300 Sparta 5
February 16, 2014 |
300 Sparta | 2 | — |
| W | Manuel Meza | TKO (cut) | 300 Sparta 4
October 10, 2013 |
300 Sparta | 3 | 0:00 |
| W | Renzo Mendez | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Inka FC 23
August 24, 2013 |
Inka FC | 2 | 0:00 |
| W | Angel Alvarez | Submission (armbar) | 300 Sparta 2
July 17, 2013 |
300 Sparta | 3 | — |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Claudio Puelles) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.