Anthony Hernandez was given as a -500 underdog against Rodolfo Vieira tonight at UFC 258. Needless to say that Hernandez had a big task ahead of him. Vieira is known as the “black belt hunter” in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community. He’s a multiple times world champion and one of the best grapplers of his generation.
Vieira had the advantage early on and completely dominated the first round, Hernandez found himself in dangerous situations but managed to weather the storm.
What came next was a true show of grits and tenacity by Hernandez. He completely took control of the fight in the second round and left Vieira no time to breathe.
Vieira shot for a desperate takedown and got caught in a guillotine. Hernandez didn’t let go of the submission and held on long enough to force Vieira to tap.
Results: Anthony Hernandez def. Rodolfo Vieira via sub (guillotine) (R2, 1:53)
Check the highlights below:
SIMPLY INCREDIBLE!@ILovebamf SUBMITS a jiu-jitsu WORLD CHAMPION in RD 2️⃣. #UFC258 pic.twitter.com/bdH80dxzGA
— UFC (@ufc) February 14, 2021
"I knew I was gonna do it!"
🥋 @ILoveBamf just went out and DID THAT. #UFC258 pic.twitter.com/kjUg1G7LZU
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) February 14, 2021
Hernandez is just a purple belt in BJJ, which makes this accomplishment even more surprising. Of course, the octagon is known as a great equalizer in the grappling world. A world champion can get submitted by a purple belt and that’s why we love this sport!
After such a performance, no doubt that Hernandez has put his name on the map. With another win in 2021, we could see him rise up the ranks of the middleweight division.
