Andre Petroski handed Nick Maximov his first professional loss earlier tonight (Sat., May 14, 2022) at UFC Vegas 54 live on ESPN2/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, with an impressive first-round submission (anaconda choke).
Both middleweights are known for their grappling but started swinging heavy leather on the feet. That was until Maximov launched in for a single leg and it sparked a wild scramble for position. Petroski briefly had back control before Maximov rolled over and grabbed another leg. Petroski transitioned again and slapped in a tight anaconda choke. Maximov was patient, but it gave Petroski enough time to crank his squeeze and put the Nate Diaz protege to sleep.
Check out the final moments above courtesy of UFC/ESPN.
Petroski, 30, is now 3-0 as a member of the UFC roster. The former Ultimate Fighter standout was a pretty sizable underdog for this matchup with Maximov, but proved he’s one of the most promising grapplers at 185 pounds today. Petroski utilized his post-fight interview to call out middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert for a fight in three weeks in Singapore so we’ll see if he gets his wish.
For complete UFC Vegas 54 results and coverage click here.