LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Tyson Pedro[/autotag] has had a little taste of that highly touted prospect life. Now he wants to show Vitor Petrino there can be a downside to it.
That downside for Pedro (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) came in 2017 when he was 5-0 with five first-round finishes on his resume, including stoppages in his first two UFC fights against Khalil Rountree and Paul Craig – no small potatoes to be certain.
But Ilir Latifi took a decision from him for his first loss, and it was the start of a 1-3 slump that ultimately helped usher him into more than three years on the sidelines. These days, though, he’s reversed that with a 3-1 run – and the first-round finishes are back.
But Petrino (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) comes in with a fresh set of challenges for Pedro, namely that the Brazilian is unbeaten – just like Pedro was at one point.
“I’m just getting there (in my career),” Pedro said at Wednesday’s media day for UFC Fight Night 238 (ESPN+) in Las Vegas, where he fights Petrino on Saturday. “I feel good where I’m at right now, so I’m just going with it. I’m like fine wine, man: I’m getting better with age.
“Bring it. That’s it. Let’s go. I was a hype train once. It just takes a better fighter to beat him, so I’m ready to take that zero.”
Petrino is a 3-1 betting favorite in the fight. He came to the UFC a year ago next week after a win on Dana White’s Contender Series. He has but two decisions on his resume, and the rest are finishes.
Check out Pedro’s full media day interview in the video above.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 238.