Las Vegas, NV — Heavyweight Rodrigo Nascimento had an impressive comeback win at UFC Vegas 31. After being knocked down (and seemingly out, at least momentarily) in the opening round, the Brazilian came back to finish Alan Baudot via TKO in the second.
“It feels so good, you know? Today I enjoyed my fight. I know I had hard times in my fight, but I win, I found my win, I found my way to win,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight.
How bad were the hard times ? Nascimento isn’t entirely sure. “I want to see the fight, but I fight, and one time I looked and I’m on the floor, like ‘what happened here?'” Nascimento told himself to take his time, and listened to his coaches. In the second round, the Brazilian recognized that despite being a grappler, “I can have a win with [striking] too.”
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter later added that “I’m a BJJ guy, but today I proved to myself that I have a big heart, because I was close to losing this fight. I didn’t see [it], but the guys tell me ‘you’re close to [losing] the fight.” Nascimento feels he’s improved a lot, bout to bout. “I improve myself every fight. In general, I’m just so happy. Because I have to grow, I’m just 28, I’m a heavyweight, I have good BJJ, now I can make wins with my striking too.”
After Saturday’s showdown with Baudot, Nascimento called out Chase Sherman. “It’s the second time I’ve called out Chase Sherman,” noted Nascimento. “He’s a good fighter. He has a good style, good boxing, he’s a complete fighter. If Mick [Maynard] or Dana [White] make this fight, I’m happy. But if not, I know one day this will happen.”
Sherman actually responded to Nascimento’s callout, saying he was ready to fight the Brazilian, but already has a fight on August 21. That said, a win in August might see the pair lined up down the line.
Will someone tell Rodrigo that I will happily oblige after I handle business August 21st. He’s been asking for me after every fight. Give the kid the fight @Mickmaynard2, it’s starting to get weird. 👀
— Chase Sherman (@ChaseShermanUFC) July 18, 2021
Watch the full UFC Vegas 31 post-fight press scrum with Rodrigo Nascimento above.
