Rodolfo Vieira did what he does best at UFC Vegas 72, submitting wrestler Cody Brundage in the second round.
Collegiate wrestler Cody Brundage (8-3) took on ADCC Champion and BJJ legend Rodolfo Vieira (8-2) at UFC Vegas 72.
Vieira has had an up-and-down UFC career since entering with a 5-0 record in 2019. Losses to talented fighters Anthony Hernandez and Chris Curtis slowed his roll, but Vieira has impressed in his three UFC wins, all by submission.
Brundage’s UFC record is similarly mixed, but the main intrigue in this fight was the fact that neither are experienced as a striker. Would their wrestling and grappling cancel each other out and, if so, who would be the better striker? Or would one of the two prove superior in this matchup?
Early in the first round, Cody Brundage blitzed forward and hurt Vieira, but the Brazilian grabbed a single leg and held onto it for life, eventually pushing Brundage up against the fence in a stable position. Vieira dealt an accidental knee to the groin which Brundage took some time to recover from. When he did, they were back in the center of the cage. On the feet again, Vieira got hurt badly, this time his back hit the canvas. Brundage jumped on top and dealt significant damage while Vieira worked to execute a half guard sweep. Again, he was able to get Brundage to the fence but this time he reaped the leg and got on the back of Cody Brundage, a dangerous position for the American, with 50 seconds left. Despite being unable to finish his deadly rear-naked choke, he dealt enough damage in the final seconds that the score could not reasonably be considered 10-8 for Brundage.
Round two started with Vieira pressing forward into the clinch where Brundage shockingly went for a guillotine against the former ADCC champion. Vieira was patient as he popped his head out, executed a quick transition to an arm triangle hold, passed to mount, and finished the choke.
The fight showed the toughness and gas tank that Vieira has developed since his first loss, a fight where he was a massive favorite over ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez, then wilted after not getting the submission early on. Despite eating an enormous amount of damage he came back and finished the fight for his first win in two years.
Rodolfo Vieira def. Cody Brundage by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) in Round 2 (1:28)
