Vitor Petrino scores a devastating knockout, defeats his Poatan-style rival at UFC Rio, and makes a bold promise: 'I will be champion'

Petrino knocks out Petersen in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

Que nocaute! Vitor Petrino fez a alegria do público brasileiro com um cruzado de esquerda arrasador à la Alex Poatan e venceu Thomas Petersen no terceiro round pela divisão dos pesos pesados (até 93kg.) no UFC Rio deste sábado (11). O brasileiro pediu para enfrentar Marcin Tybura e prometeu que ainda vai ser campeão da divisão no futuro.

Com o resultado, Petrino chega em sua segunda vitória seguida nos pesos pesados (até 120,2kg.) e soma um cartel de 13 triunfos e dois reveses na carreira. O nocaute lembrou o de Alex Poatan sobre Thomas Powell, ainda no LFA.

Já Thomas Petersen foi derrotado pela terceira vez, enquanto tem outros dez triunfos.

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Após a luta, ainda no octógono, Vitor Petrino fez uma promessa de ser campeão dos pesos pesados no futuro. Ele revela que lutou lesionado, mas que queria seguir no evento para lutar diante da torcida.

"Sorry to feel a little off. I had a knee injury, stopped training for two weeks, and then kept going. I have a promise to all of you: I don't know how long it will take, but I will be the division champion. You can write my name down. It will happen," said the fighter.

Vitor Petrino impresses with brutal knockout at UFC Rio

Petrino started out strong but surprised with his strategy of seeking the cage. Petersen, in turn, showed good defense and turned the situation around. Neither fighter was making progress in the position and was heavily booed by the crowd at Farmasi Arena. And that seemed to be what the Minas Gerais native needed to become more aggressive. With a powerful right punch, the Minas Gerais native knocked his opponent down and proceeded to grapple. He did little in the position.

Petrino's grappling strategy remained strong. Apparently exhausted, the Brazilian stood against the fence once more, but Petersen rotated his position. The crowd cheered the fighter on with chants of "Uh, you're going to die!" to his opponent.

Tudo mudou no terceiro round. Já no início, quando a luta parecia morna, Vitor Petrino encaixou sequência brutal que fez Thomas Petersen cair apagado. Mesmo assim, o brasileiro ainda desferiu alguns socos por impulso até ser interrompido pelo árbitro.