From the streets to the bright lights of the octagon, Rafael dos Anjos has been a fighter all his life. As a child, the former UFC champion was involved in numerous street fights. His involvement in these confrontations came to an end when he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of nine. That decision would prove fateful as ‘RDA’ would go on to get the highest achievement possible in the sport of MMA.

With over two decades of pro-fighting experience, he is not only a veteran but also a former lightweight champion, which remains the toughest, most competitive division in the Dana White-led promotion even today. And one of the most important factors in not only his success but also his longevity is his team and coach, whom we take a closer look at in this article.

Meet Jason Parillo, Rafael dos Anjos’ coach

Rafael dos Anjos started training under Jason Parillo back in 2016 after he left his erstwhile gym, which we will discuss more in-depth later. Parillo, for his part, is a former boxer who went undefeated in his eight pro fights, showing a lot of promise. Until that is, a detached retina derailed his career, forcing him to retire in 2003.

Luckily, his friend, Pat Tenore, the founder of the clothing and apparel brand RVCA had decided to sponsor former UFC champion BJ Penn. Penn wanted someone to work on his boxing prior to his 2007 rematch against Jens Pulver, who was an excellent boxer. Tenore introduced the two, which started Parillo on his MMA coaching journey.

Since then the former boxer has trained MMA royalty like Cris Cyborg, Michael Bisping, Tito Ortiz, and of course, dos Anjos, for whom he has quite a soft spot. Why? We’ll let Parillo explain in his own words.

“What makes him [RDA] a special fighter and a special athlete? His resilience. The way he stays hungry and trains the way he does… He also has goals. He wants to leave a mark on this sport… Rafa doesn’t live like a rockstar, and I really do think that does play a part. He lives a clean life, lives a good life,” Parillo said in a 2019 interview.

All we know about Rafael dos Anjos’ gym and teammates

‘RDA’ used to train at the Kings MMA gym in California before switching to his current set-up. What prompted this change? Well, it seems dos Anjos felt it was time for a change after his unexpected loss to Eddie Alvarez (who was a three-to-one underdog coming into their UFC Fight Night 90 title clash) back in 2016.

Perhaps seeking a more experienced and accomplished coach to sharpen his striking, ‘RDA’ came to train under Parillo at the RVCA Training Center in 2016. In addition, he also trains at the eponymous RDA Academy founded by him; as well as having a seasonal contract to teach at the Evolve MMA gym in Singapore.

The RVCA Center was unfortunately closed down abruptly in 2023 after a change in ownership. Under Parillo, along with the fighters we have mentioned above, dos Anjos has shared the mat with Sean Strickland, Vitor Belfort, Mackenzie Dern, and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera. What are your thoughts on Rafael dos Anjos’ training situation?