Las Vegas — Rodolfo Vieira is happy to be in a co-main event at UFC Vegas 121 on Saturday, even if it’s not entirely deserving.
“I’m feeling great. I didn’t know that I was going to fight in the co-main event. So I got very happy, even knowing that I didn’t deserve to be fighting in the co-main event,” Vieira (11-5) said during this week’s UFC Vegas 121 media day. Even coming off a rough patch, “even like that, the UFC did it, so I’m so grateful with this huge opportunity that the UFC is giving me. I did my job, I worked so hard for eight weeks, I’m ready for Saturday.”
As to why he doesn’t feel the spot, which finds the middleweight facing Robert Bryczek, is necessarily deserved, “I’m coming from two losses straight. So that’s why,” stated Vieira. That said, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion doesn’t feel like his back is against the wall either.
“Even coming from two losses, I’m not feeling any pressure. I’m feeling good, light, and I just want to go there and do my job,” he stated. He’s not looking back on dwelling on past outcomes either. “I usually don’t think about my last fight. I always think about my next fight. So I don’t like to keep thinking ‘oh if I lose, maybe I’m going to get cut.’ No. I don’t keep thinking about that.”
The path to victory for the multi-time BJJ champ is clear. “My goal is always to do what I do best, which is jiu-jitsu,” he stated. There’s no thought of going out and earning a surprise knockout win either, Vieira admitted. “I don’t think so, because my opponent’s too dangerous in striking. I don’t want to go there and strike with him. I want to take him down and work my jiu-jitsu.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 121 media day appearance by Rodolfo Vieira above.