Being 11-0 in the UFC has its perks. You get put on the main card of UFC 301 against an established veteran fighter, Anthony Smith and people start to notice. Such is the case for Vitor Petrino, who’s rapidly climbing up the light heavyweight division rankings.
The Brazilian fighter has yet to lose an MMA fight in his career, making him a sudden threat in the UFC. So what makes Petrino stand out from the competition? Does he stand a chance against the likes of Alex Pereira?
The Strengths of Vitor Petrino
Vitor Petrino is a takedown specialist. Whether he’s grappling his foes to the ground (3.86 takedowns per 15 minutes) or defending takedowns (71% success rate in defending takedowns), “Icao” knows how to grapple with his opponents.
His strategy consists of wearing his foes down, leaving them open for a pummeling. That’s why two of his five fights in the UFC were by KO/TKO. When he’s broken his opponent down, he waits for them to make a mistake. Then, he pounces.
Petrino is more of a technical fighter than anything, which also explains his 0.8 submissions attempted per 15 minutes. He’ll go for the kill whenever he can, breaking down his prey beforehand.
What Threat Does Petrino Pose for Alex Pereira?
It’s no secret Alex Pereira is on top of the world right now. “Poatan” has laid waste to his competition, as made evident by his first-round KO of Jamahal Hill at UFC 3o0. Pereira will pose a different challenge for Vitor Petrino if they square off.
How so? Pereira is an opportunistic striker himself. The main difference is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion waits for his opponent to make a mistake. Then, he’ll make his opponent pay.
If Petrino is to win against Pereira, that starts with taking him to the ground and working him. Stick with breaking down a body part or two, focusing on taking stamina out of the equation.
If Petrino continues his rapid ascent through the light heavyweight division, it’s only a matter of time before he and the champion meet. In that case, it’ll be “Icao’s” biggest challenge yet. However, it’s one he’s built for, for his confidence can prove to be deadly.
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Jacob Walters is a boxing/MMA writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @IceColdWJacob
