A chance at validation looms for
Vitor
Petrino.
The undefeated Brazilian will draw his most difficult assignment to
date in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division when
he faces
Anthony
Smith in a featured
UFC
301 attraction this Saturday at Farmasi Arena in Rio de
Janeiro. A victory, particularly a decisive one, could vault
Petrino into the Top 10 rankings at 205 pounds.
“The UFC is the world’s biggest promotion, so there are no easy
opponents,” he told Sherdog.com. “It’s on a very high level. I keep
showing improvements each time out. I’m winning well. Even though
I’ve been fighting one guy tougher than the last, I’ve scored
impressive wins.”
Now 56 fights into his career, Smith holds a clear advantage in
terms of experience. The former
Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Victory Fighting
Championship titleholder boasts 34 finishes—14 by submission and 20
by knockout or technical knockout—among his 37 professional
victories but enters the cage in a downturn, having lost three of
his past four bouts.
“I’m very happy to be fighting Anthony,” Petrino said. “He has
[made history] and continues to make history in the UFC. He’s
fought great names and remains ranked among the best on the planet.
You can’t go easy against him. He should expect an aggressive
opponent who’s ready to submit him or knock him out at any moment.
I’m ready to put on a show.”
Petrino made his move to the UFC roster in September 2022, when he
buried
Rodolfo
Bellato with punches during Week 7 of
Dana White’s Contender Series. He has since beaten
Anton
Turkalj,
Marcin
Prachnio,
Modestas
Bukauskas and
Tyson Pedro
in succession to improve to 11-0. Success in the UFC only served to
stoke Petrino’s competitive fire, as he continues to sharpen his
skills under longtime mentor
Cristiano
Marcello at the CM System gym in Curitiba, Brazil.
“Our work never ends,” Petrino said. “I never train for a specific
opponent. I train to improve my game. Every day I work on my muay
thai, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. My intention is to evolve, to be in
a constant state of improvement. Regardless of the opponent, I’ll
always show up as a new version of myself.”
Petrino last suited up at UFC Fight Night 238, where he took a
unanimous decision from the aforementioned Pedro in their
three-round co-main event on March 2. He executed three takedowns
and piled up more than five minutes of control time against the
Aussie, earning 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks from the cageside
judges.
“Things have been playing out as they should,” Petrino said. “I’ve
been putting in the work. I’ve been showing my work and my
evolution. I’ll always give my best. I’m ready to face the best in
the world. Being in the world’s biggest promotion gives me further
incentive to show my work. We’re aiming for the top, ever more
strongly and aggressively.”