Rafael Xavier has slugged his way out of a dark, difficult past and now stands on the cusp of a happy and successful future.
One of the great virtues—and central ironies—of combat sports is that regulated violence so often provides athletes with the means to escape lives plagued by poverty, crime and real-world violence. As he prepares to face Alex Polizzi in a light heavyweight semifinal at PFL 2025 World Tournament: First Round 4 on Thursday in Orlando, Florida, the 34-year-old Brazilian spoke frankly to Sherdog.com about a childhood that left him, by his own admission, desperate and hateful.