How UFC Tampa’s Vitor Petrino dealt with first loss

TAMPA, Fla. – Vitor Petrino may no longer be undefeated, but his confidence remains unshaken as he prepares for UFC on ESPN 63. The upcoming fight at Amalie Arena will mark Petrino’s third bout this year, facing off against Dustin Jacoby, a member of the Factory X team that handed him his first career loss.

Earlier this year at UFC 301, Anthony Smith defeated Petrino in just two minutes with a guillotine choke, marking Petrino’s first career loss on home soil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Reflecting on this defeat, Petrino remained optimistic, stating, “Losing in Brazil carries some weight, but again, it’s part of the game. It was just a bad day at work. As I said, sh*t happens, and sometimes you just have to turn things around and move on forward. Just get prepared for the next fight and move on up.”

Despite this setback, Petrino maintains a positive attitude and focus on his upcoming fight against Jacoby. Refusing to let detractors bring him down, Petrino shared, “Haters are always going to hate, but they’re always just waiting for you to make one mistake and just pound on it. I try not to pay attention to that because I think there’s so much more positive coming from fans. I’ve said this: I fight for fans.”

As Petrino looks to bounce back from his defeat and continue his career, he remains grateful for the support of his fans and the positive experiences that outweigh any negatives. With his sights set on the fight ahead, Petrino is ready to showcase his skills in the octagon once again.