One of those responsible for preparing Marvin vettori for his commitments in Ultimate, Rafael Cordeiro has high expectations for his pupil in UFC Las Vegas 41, which takes place this Saturday. The Italian's coach, the Brazilian spoke exclusively to the channel on SUPER FIGHTS YouTube and did not hide his excitement for the confrontation between the student and Paulo borrachinha. For the coach, a 'war' is about to happen.
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Renowned in the world of MMA, Cordeiro knows the importance of commitment for Vettori. The winner of the clash will be able to win the chance to compete for the middleweight belt (up to 83,9kg) for the second time.
Fight confirmation
A standout at middleweight, Marvin will be heading into his third fight of the season. The commitment against the Brazilian comes about four months after the Italian's failed attempt to win the group title in the clash against Israel adesanya. Rafael then spoke about the strategy of accepting the confrontation against Borrachinha.
“As soon as Marvin's fight against Israel ended (with a loss to the Italian), it was considered that the name (for the sequel) would be Borrachinha, due to the fact that Borrachinha lost (to Adesanya) and everyone wants a chance to fight for the belt. When you lose a fight to the champion, you have to see who is most likely to give you another chance. He combined hunger with the desire to eat. It’s a fight that makes sense for both of them,” said Rafael.
Expectations for the fight
If on the one hand Borrachinha impresses with his physical strength and ability to knock out his opponents, for Cordeiro, Vettori is not far behind. Present during the Italian's training period, the coach described how he imagines his pupil's challenge this weekend.
“Borrachinha is a very strong guy, who comes inside, just like Marvin. The two like to exchange blows standing up. I don't think the two will look for a ground fight. Sometimes I even get bothered by the fact that he doesn't put his opponents down. I think the fight will be fought on its feet. Small glove, two guys who have strong punches. Whoever gets the first hand will have an advantage. I hope Marvin plays the first leg, knows how to put pressure on Borrachinha from start to finish,” he said.
'War' in the Octagon
After pointing out how he imagines the duel going, Rafael Cordeiro avoided predicting the outcome of the confrontation. The coach, however, predicts a real battle between two fighters who want a new chance to fight for the title.
“I see a great war with two well-prepared athletes. It's very arrogant for a coach to say that the athlete will knock him out in the first round. (…) Inside (the octagon), the reality is different. These are two athletes who are hungry for victory and know the importance of this victory in both their careers. We prepared Marvin to be able to handle pressure and provide pressure. We know that it is a sport that you also have to know how to catch, in silence. (…) You have to be prepared in all aspects to put on a great show”, he concluded.
Athletes' history
Last challenger for the middleweight belt, Marvin vettori is heading towards his 24th fight as a professional in MMA. The 28-year-old athlete has 17 wins, five losses and one draw.
Without acting since the stumble against Israel adesanya in September 2020, Paulo borrachinha will have the 15th challenge in the modality. The 30-year-old from Minas Gerais currently has 13 triumphs and one setback.
