Raufeon Stots is an American professional mixed martial artist and graduated collegiate wrestler. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of Bellator MMA, where he is a former Interim Bellator Bantamweight Champion. As a wrestler, he is a two-time NCAA Division II champion. As of December 8, 2023, he is ranked #1 in the Bellator Bantamweight Rankings.
Stots grew up modestly in Houston, Texas, with his mother and two brothers. He started wrestling in his junior year at Klein Oak High School in Klein, Texas, after the passing of his mother. He then earned a scholarship at Labette Community College and became an All-American with a fourth-place finish in the NJCAA level as a freshman.
As a sophomore, he once again qualified for the NJCAA tournament, but did not place. He then transferred to the University of Nebraska-Kearney (NCAA Division II), where he was forced to take a medical redshirt instead of a junior season. When he came back as a junior, he won his first DII title with a record of 30 wins and 6 losses, helping the team reach the team title. As a senior, he compiled his second NCAA title and helped the team win the team championship before graduating.
When transferring from collegiate wrestling to mixed martial arts, Stots found that it wasn't only his work ethic but also the body awareness that helped him move over and adapt to the new sport quickly.
During his transition, fellow Nebraska at Kearney wrestler-turned-MMA Kamaru Usman took Stots under his wing as a mentor. Usman was pushed to Stots by his mother due to the Nigerian roots both wrestlers shared.
