Rodolfo Vieira is among the finest grapplers to ever transition to blended martial arts, however is aware of it’s not sensible to miss anybody’s floor expertise. That mentioned, he’s not significantly impressed by Tresean Gore’s jiu-jitsu recreation.
Vieira and Gore face off Saturday on the preliminary portion of UFC Vegas 108. Forward of that matchup, Vieira commented on Gore’s submission recreation, which has helped him to 2 submission wins within the UFC over Josh Fremd and Antonio Trocoli.
“His jiu-jitsu doesn’t impress me, however the guillotine is unquestionably a place I’ll have some respect,” Vieira informed MMA Combating, “I do know he catches with the best arm and he’s very assured. Each fighter that shot towards him, he gave them the best leg to get round their neck to assault, and bought his two submissions. I received’t see for myself as a result of it’s a harmful transfer. He’s proved to be good at that. However I’m extra full than him on the bottom. I’ve many extra weapons to dominate him on the bottom.”
A five-time jiu-jitsu world champion and ADCC gold medalist, “The Black Belt Hunter” is 5-3 within the UFC with 5 submission victories. Earlier than that, he went 5-0 within the sport with a one hundred pc ending charge. One main change Vieira has made going into UFC Vegas 108 was a six-week camp at Combating Nerds in Sao Paulo, working with coaches Pablo Sucupira, Flavio Alvaro and Wagner Motta.
“The camp was fantastic,” Vieira mentioned. “They put me in unimaginable form. I feel I’ve by no means felt this good earlier than, and this assured in my placing, my takedowns, my jiu-jitsu. … I bought the starvation again, the will to coach.”
Motta, the person main the jiu-jitsu follow, was for years the coach of Demian Maia, who made his title as probably the greatest pure grapplers in UFC historical past.
“He is aware of a ton, the fundamental stuff that works,” Vieira mentioned of Motta. “When he teaches you that, it is going to work. Additionally, coaching with the group right here makes you need to evolve extra on the toes. Not that I need to grow to be a striker, I might a lot relatively proceed utilizing my jiu-jitsu, however I’m getting assured with the space, motion, calibrating my strikes and dealing on my protection. I’m changing into extra full. However, after all, all the time targeted on going there and taking them down to make use of my jiu-jitsu.”
Gore was completed by Chute Boxe middleweight Marco Tulio in his most up-to-date look in April, and Vieira goals to rebound from a choice setback to Andre Petroski in February. Vieira plans on submitting Gore on the UFC APEX, and expects his opponent’s aggressive fashion to make issues simpler.
“He’s a bit flat-footed and has an enormous coronary heart, he can take a punch and nonetheless come ahead, however I don’t know the way he’ll struggle this struggle,” Vieira mentioned. “Final time round he bought beat rather a lot by Marco Tulio and continued to stroll ahead. It’s good if he does that towards me [so I take him down], however I’m prepared for all the things. I received’t cease in that octagon. I bought good motion and can use that to my benefit till I discover the best second to take the struggle the place I’m finest.”
