New York, NY – Wrestling versus Jiu-Jitsu was the storyline leading up to Rodolfo Vieira’s fight with Bo Nickal at UFC 322 this Saturday.
But Vieira, who would be the BJJ side of that equation (with multiple BJJ World Championships and other wrestling titles), doesn’t quite see it that way.
“Yes, everyone asks me about that, but I don’t see it this way. I don’t feel this rivalry,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC 322 media day. He explained, “It’s going to be MMA. Maybe versus grappling or grappling because I’m not going to go there and try to take him down all the time because it’s going to be hard to do.”
With that in mind, Vieira added, “I prepared myself for everything: doing jiu-jitsu, hitting, doing MMA.”
Nickal will look to bounce back from a loss to Reinier de Ridder in New York City; One fight earlier, the NCAA Division I wrestling champion had been on his feet for a full 15 minutes against Paul Craig.
“I thought he did a great job,” Vieira said of that performance. “A lot of people said he didn’t do well, but I didn’t see it that way. In my eyes he did a great job. He showed everyone that he can strike for three rounds. That’s something I have to be ready for.”
Watch Rodolfo Vieira’s full UFC 322 media day appearance above.
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