ADCC champion Rodolfo Vieira returns at UFC 248 against Saparbek Safarov

Rodolfo Vieira has his first fight for 2020 booked.

Jiu-jitsu standout Vieira (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) meets Saparbek Safarov (9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a middleweight bout at UFC 248. MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with a person with knowledge of the matchup following an initial report by MMA DNA.

UFC 248 takes place March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Vieira, a decorated grappler who won an Abu Dhabi Combat Club gold medal in 2015 and is a multiple-time IBJJF champion, will be looking to remain undefeated in his MMA career. Vieira most recently fought in August with a successful UFC debut. He submitted Oskar Piechota in the second round at UFC on ESPN+ 14 in Uruguay.

Safarov most recently was seen this past March at UFC on ESPN+ 5 in London. He outpointed Nicolae Negumereanu to win his first bout in the promotion after losses in his first two UFC fights to Tyson Pedro and Gian Villante.

With the addition, the UFC 248 lineup now includes:

Champ Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk – for women’s strawweight title
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
Polyana Viana vs. Emily Whitmire
Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Quinonez
Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
Saparbek Safarov vs. Rodolfo Vieira