Tampa – UFC light heavyweight Vitor Petrino looks to bounce back from that first loss of his career when he faces Dustin Jacoby at UFC Tampa on Saturday night.
Petrino (11-1) lost his last outing against Anthony Smith at UFC 301 in May. To make matter worse he lost via submission which, for a Brazilian fighter, adds insult to injury.
“I think it’s part of the game. I think it’s an opportunity for you to learn and to understand things that need to improve. I learned that I need to respect my body a little more and other things,” Petrino told reporters through a translator on Wednesday.
“Win or loss I always try to improve.”
The part that makes the loss sting that much more is that it happened in Brazil.
“Losing in Brazil carries some weight, but again it’s part of the game. It was just a bad day at work. As I said sh*t happens and sometimes you just have to turn things around and move on forward and just get prepared for the next fight,” he said.
At UFC Tampa he faces Jacoby who could very possibly be in a win-or-go-home scenario as he brings a 1-4 record in his last five fights. Jacoby is also notably close with Smith which could add something more to the fight.
“It just adds to the flavor and the taste of victory will be better if I win,” he said.
“Another opportunity to face their team. A guy who trains with Anthony. You’re here to face the best in the world.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Vitor Petrino above. He faces Dustin Jacoby at UFC Tampa on Saturday night.
