Before transitioning to MMA, Rodolfo Vieira had an outstanding career in various martial arts. Known as “The Black Belt Hunter,” he is a four-time World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a seven-time Abu Dhabi World Pro winner, a two-time Pan American and European champion, and the ADCC World Grappling Champion. The Latin American athlete is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in BJJ history. He entered Dana White’s league in 2019 and has had mixed results so far. Vieira won his last two matches, defeating Armenian fighter Armen Petrosyan (submission, round one) in February 2024, and American Cody Brundage (submission, round two). However, he lost to another American, Chris Curtis, via unanimous decision. The 35-year-old Vieira has ten victories (one by knockout, nine by submission) and two losses.
Betting Trends: Vieira’s strike accuracy stands at 55%.
In 2019, Andre Petroski became the champion of the lesser-known Art of War Cage promotion, successfully defending his title before quickly signing with one of the top MMA organizations in the world. The fighter from Pennsylvania had an impressive start, securing five consecutive victories. However, he later lost to Brazilian Michel Pereira (TKO, round one) and Australian Jacob Malkoun (TKO, round two). Petroski then entered a winning streak, triumphing over Americans Josh Fremd (unanimous decision) and Dylan Budka (unanimous decision). The 33-year-old has accumulated 15 wins (four by knockout, seven by decision, four by submission) and four losses. Petroski holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Likely Winner: Rodolfo Vieira. Odds on Vieira’s Victory: Approximately 1.60-1.70, reflecting his status as the favorite in this matchup.
While Petroski has a well-rounded skill set, Vieira’s grappling and submission skills are in a league of their own. Given Vieira’s accomplishments in BJJ and his dominance on the ground, he should be able to control the fight when it goes to the mat, where Petroski is unlikely to pose a significant threat. If the fight stays standing, Petroski may have a chance with his striking, but it’s more likely that Vieira will look to take the fight to the ground, where his skills will be decisive. Vieira has shown improved form in his recent bouts, while Petroski has suffered defeats to more seasoned fighters.
Betting analysts consider Vieira the clear favorite for the upcoming fight. They believe Petroski has limited chances of success. However, they may be overestimating the Brazilian's odds. The American will be fighting on home turf, and it's certain that the crowd will support him, with the judges likely to favor him as well. Andre has a tendency to win by decision and will aim for that in his fight with a tough opponent. In this situation, it's worth betting that the fight will go the distance.
Our prediction: The fight will go the full distance at odds of 2.48.
