Multi-time BJJ world champion Rodolfo Vieira released a statement on his loss at UFC 258.
UFC middleweight Rodolfo Vieira came into UFC 258 with a reputation befitting of a five time BJJ World Champion. The highly decorated BJJ black belt was 7-0 heading into his contest with the relatively unheralded Anthony Hernandez after scoring two submission wins to start his UFC career.
Much to the surprise of most onlookers, and Vegas who had Vieira as a -470 favourite, Hernandez was able to beat ‘The Black Belt Hunter’ in less than two rounds; ending the contest with a guillotine choke.
Vieira, who was probably the most surprised at the outcome, took to Instagram after the fight to let his followers know just how distraught he is with the turn of events.
“Guys yesterday was the worst day of my life,” confessed Vieira (ht MMA Mania). “It was the worst performance of my life, it was my son’s first time watching me, despite being a baby and not understanding anything. That, on the one hand, was even good to not see the beating that his father took and still be finished !! LOL. It was also the first time I fight after my Grandmother passed away, she who was one of my biggest fans and watched all my fights, I really wanted to be victorious and dedicate it to them!
“Unfortunately, not everything goes as we want. I’m still not understanding why I got so tired in the first round, I had some mistakes that I already know which ones, that will certainly be fixed, but really getting tired of the way I got tired I still haven’t I managed to understand! I had a great camp, I had the best weight cut to date, everything was fine … But I have to congratulate Anthony on his big win and I really hope he won the 50 thousand dollars of performance of the night.”
I I know I need to improve a lot, in everything, I never hid this and every day I train in search of this evolution!” he continued. “Anyway, it’s in the past. I just want to thank you all for the messages of encouragement and support that keep sending me, you really are unbelievable! I am very grateful to God, and I feel super blessed to have the family I have, the friends and of course the fans who even without knowing me personally can make me feel so strong, so important and so dear to you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I love you.”
Vieira signed for the UFC in 2019 and was immediately touted as one of the most talented BJJ practitioners to sign for the company in recent times. In his Octagon debut he tapped Oskar Piechota with an arm-triangle choke. He used the same move to finish Saparbek Safarov in his second appearance, at UFC 248 last March.
Hernandez, a graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series, now has eight submissions to his name. His first UFC tapout was drawn from Jun Yong Park, via anaconda choke, at UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs. Zhang in August 2019.