LAS VEGAS – Renowned grappling champion Rodolfo Vieira had a premonition that he would secure a victory by submission in his comeback to the octagon.
Vieira (10-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) emerged victorious on Saturday during the main card of UFC Fight Night 236 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He achieved this by submitting Armen Petrosyan (8-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) with an arm-triangle choke in the first round of their middleweight bout – a result he foresaw.
“I am elated with this triumph, securing yet another finish,” Vieira expressed to the media during the UFC Fight Night 236 post-fight press conference. “I recognized that he possessed exceptional striking skills, but his ground game had several vulnerabilities. I knew that if I were able to take him down, I would be able to finish him.”
Vieira wasn’t caught off guard by much when it came to facing Petrosyan. However, the calf kicks delivered by Petrosyan did throw a slight wrench into the fight.
“The calf kicks were unexpected,” Vieira admitted. “They caused me some pain. I believe he landed about three or four of them. At the time, during the fight, I didn’t feel the impact, but now I am feeling the effects. However, it doesn’t matter. After enduring the kicks, I successfully executed a takedown and ultimately finished him, which is what truly matters to me.”
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com