Rodolfo Vieira to make MMA debut

[Edge Guerrero]

by Guilherme Cruz @guicruzzz Dec 13, 2016

One of the best grapplers of all times will make his mixed martial arts debut in 2017.

Rodolfo Vieira, a four-time jiu-jitsu world champion and ADCC gold medalist, is set to compete for the first time under MMA rules at Real Fight, a Japanese promotion that will make its first trip to Brazil on Feb. 11. Vieira confirmed the news via press release following a report by PVT.

The event will take place at the Ibirapuera gymnasium in Sao Paulo, the same arena he competed to win the ADCC gold medal in 2005.

Vieira told MMA Fighting that he's fighting Sadyrbek Uulu in a light heavyweight bout.

“I'm really happy to make this debut in Brazil,” Vieira said in a release. “I was a bit nervous too, because it’s a big responsibility to make this debut in Brazil. But it will be cool and, at the same time, an extra motivation. My focus will be the same, I’m training hard and really confident.”

Vieira, who won the gold medal in the IBJJF world championship from 2011 to 2014, joined American Top Team in June 2016 to focus on his MMA career. The Rio de Janeiro-native signed with Real Fight in 2015, and planned on competing in October 2016, but he will finally make his MMA debut in February.

Source [urlhttp://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/13/13937994/bjj-rodolfo-vieira-has-mma-debut-real-fight[/url]