Emotional Rodolfo Vieira made sure not to rush submission win of Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC on ESPN 26

LAS VEGAS – Rodolfo Vieira made sure to display a more patient version of himself, and it paid off.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace rebounded from his upset submission loss to Anthony Hernandez with a “Performance of the Night” submission of Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC on ESPN 26 on Saturday.

Vieira (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) spent a lot more time on the feet than most expected, but the 31-year-old said everything went according to plan.

“It was something I was expecting,” Vieira told reporters through an interpreter at the UFC on ESPN 26 post-fight press conference. “Take the right time to take the guy to the ground and submit him. This is something I was working on with my coach Julien (Williams) in Orlando and Fusion. It’s something he does very well, keep pressuring the guy and wait for the best moment to finish the fight, so it was something I was expecting. Sooner or later it was going to happen.”

Vieira took a lot away from his loss to Hernandez, where he was unexpectedly submitted. He paid a heavy price for emptying his gas tank out early when he got overzealous chasing the finish in that fight but was able to show a much more calculated version of himself against Stoltzfus.

“The last fight there was a lot in my head; I was not happy to be there,” Vieira said. “I was trying to get out of the cage as soon as possible, and during the fight, I lost a lot of positions I’m not used to losing in practice – like very basic positions. I definitely worked a lot with my coaches to be very prepared for this time– take my time and not rush, just enjoy the time there – and I’m glad I did it. I’m happy for that.”

He continued, “I’m definitely emotional for the victory. I was thinking about my son. He’s very young, he’s 1 year old, and last time I lost, I promised myself I’d give the victory to him, and this was on my mind the whole time. Also my grandma passed away a year ago, and I’m sure wherever she is right now, she’s happy for my performance. I dedicate my victory for my son and for my grandma.”