BJJ

The Untamed Black Belt Hunter Rodolfo Vieira

The Untamed Black Belt Hunter Rodolfo Vieira

1. Rodolfo Vieira BJJ Details

Name Rodolfo Vieira Srour
Nickname   The Black Belt Hunter
Born Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Current Residence Orlando, Florida, United States
Date of Birth September 25, 1989
Nationality Brazilian
College/University N/A
Last Fight April 29, 2023 in UFC
Last Weigh In 185.0 lbs
Weight Class  Middleweight
Weight 185 lb (84 kg lb)
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Reach 73 in (185 cm)
Career Disclosed Earnings $ 128,000 USD
Fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Foundational style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
FavoriteTechniques  Knee Slide Pass, Armbar, Choke from the Back
Rank   Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Julio César Pereira
Awarded By  Master Julio César
Current Coach Mano Santana
Lineage Mitsuyo Maeda -> Luis França -> Oswaldo Fadda -> Monir Salomão -> Julio Cesar -> Rodolfo Vieira
Team/Association Fusion X-Cel, Grappling Fight Team

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2. Rodolfo Vieira Biography

2.1. Rodolfo Vieira Early Life & Amateur Fighting

The Brazil national Rodolfo Vieira was born on the 25th of September in 1989 At the age of 13, he joined a Jiu-Jitsu gym to reduce weight. Then he got a chance to train with the great instructors Arlans Maia and Bruno Souza. Under their instructorship, Rodalfo started his amateur jiu-jitsu career.

2.2. Rodolfo Vieira Pro BJJ Combat

After achieving blue belt rank Rofolfo decided to change his training camp and moved to a better competitive environment. His next instructor was Julio Cesar Pereira in Universidade Gama Filho. The Rodolfo and Julio team was later named the Grappling Fight Team.


Rodolfo’s fame started when he won the World Cup Brazilian North Trials of ADCC, in 2009 as a brown belt and defeated 2 times black belt champion Braulio Estima in the final. Because of this surprise win, he was given the nickname of the black belt hunter’. Upon his return to Brazil at the Airport, Cesar awarded Rodolfo with a black belt. After receiving the black belt, an injury kept him from fighting during the year 2010.

Then came to the events of January 2011, when Rodolfo secured a win in an open weight division. of the Abu Dhabi World Pro and Pan American Championships. By this time he was regarded as a renowned BJJ Gi specialist fighter. Rodolfo Vieira is a four-time Jiu-Jitsu champion and a seven-time World Cup Champion.

2.3. Rodolfo Vieira BJJ Retirement

Vieira has always been attracted to MMA. At a very young age, 25, he decided to take retirement and follow his dreams by focusing only on MMA. In his interview, he said:

“Man, I really like jiu-jitsu. I love jiu-jitsu, but when I decided to go to MMA I was not motivated to continue competing in jiu-jitsu, and MMA was a dream I had. “I’m happy now, starting something from zero. You have that thing of winning, achieving, winning money, and status, like when I started in jiu-jitsu. I don’t see myself competing in jiu-jitsu anymore. If an opportunity presents itself, a super fight with someone tough and they pay me well, I could do it if I don’t have an MMA fight coming up. And it should be no gi since I’m already training without the gi for MMA fights. But I don’t see myself competing at the IBJJF Worlds, the only tournament I entered anyway.”

2.4. Rodolfo Vieira Pro-MMA Combat

After becoming a pro BJJ fighter, Roldalfo Vierira aimed to excel as a MMA fighter. He joined MMA schools, trained with pro fighters, and soon, he was able to position himself among the best MMA fighters. His debut match with Zarylbek in 2017 granted Rodolfo huge success and recognition.


In 2019, he signed a contract with UFC in the middleweight division.


As soon as I got into UFC, I had only 5 fights and maybe three years of training. I was 27 years old when I did my first sparring. Before that, only Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling.


It’s hard to get experience being inside the UFC. It’s very hard inside the most significant event in the world, the biggest company, where the best fighters are, but it is what it is.

2.5. Rodolfo Vieira’s UFC Fights

Vieira debuted in UFC in August 2019 against Oskar Piechota. In his first bout, he won the match via submission. After that, he competed against top MMA fighters. In 2021, Vieira had a faceoff with Dustin Stoltzfus. He won the match and secured the Performace of the Night title. After the fight, Vieira changed his coach and started with Mano Santana to upgrade his fighting skills. Later in 2023, Vieira competed against Cody Brundage at the UFC on ESPN. He won the fight via submission and was awarded the Performance of the Night for the second time.


It has been officially confirmed that in February 2024, Vieira will compete against Armen Petrosyan.

2.6. Rodolfo Vieira Historic Fights

Rodolfo Vieira VS Chris Curtis

Curtis remained undefeated from late 2021 and there is never a secret in Vieira's game plan but he defended takedown attempts of Curtis in the best way. When Curtis realized the falling condition of Vieira, he attacked with a variety of strikes forcing Vieira to tap out.


Curtis shared his views about the match and Vieira:

“RIP to the body, definitely [the game plan],” Curtis said afterward. “A lot of wrestling these last few months, it worked. I like violence. I’m a very nice guy. Hats off to Rodolfo, his boxing was much improved.”


Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Class Location
2022 UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot Chris Curtis Loss U-Dec 3 Middleweight Las Vegas, Nevada

Rodolfo Vieira VS Dustin Stoltzfus

UFC Vegas 31 got huge popularity Rodolfo vs Dustin. When the fight time came it was announced that:

“Be careful what you wish for.”


It was surprising when Stoltzfus refused a glove touch. Vieira blew his arrogance by launching jabs on his nose. In the second round, Vieira tried to takedown Dustin but he escaped. Finally, in the third round Dustin succeeded in takedown Vieira but Rodolfo Vieira, pro BJJ fighter jabbed Dustin and pinned him against the cage.


Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Class Location
2021 UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Moisés Dustin Stoltzfus Win Rear Naked Choke 3 Middleweight Las Vegas, Nevada

Rodolfo Vieira VS Anthony Hernandez

It was the first time that the ADCC Gold Medalist Rodolfo was forced to submit by Anthony Hernandez at UFC 258. Vieira's right hand was broken during this fight.


“I was able to get back to my feet and then on the feet I was going to get his a**, because he’s a grappler,” Hernandez said on Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio. “One of the right hands. I’m pretty sure I broke the hand, it just went numb. It was like, ‘(expletive),’ but it’s a fight, you gotta keep going, it’s a pride thing. I kept throwing, it didn’t look like it was broken but it (expletive) hurt.” 


Hernandes revealed that how staying calm brought victory for him


“It was just like ‘(expletive)’ when I got taken down, but it was like, I had been practicing checking my hip with the left and he shot on my right and so he switched it up on me, which was sweet of him,” he said. “And I was just like ‘You (expletive),’ and when I was in the air I was like, ‘(expletive), I’m gonna go for a ride!’ And then I was like, ‘Be calm, stay patient in there.’ I’ve been in bad situations before in practice. When you panic, you put yourself in a worse position, so I just had to stay calm (and) get back to (my) feet.”


Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Class Location
2021 UFC 258 Anthony Hernandez Loss Submission. Guillotine 2 Middleweight Las Vegas, Nevada.

Rodolfo Vieira VS Saparbeg Safarov

Rodolfo was successful enough to win the sixth submission of his career at UFC 248 against Saparbeg Safarov.


Rodolfo faced several blows in this fight which damaged his eye resulting in doctor stoppage loss. Safarov hit Vieira with a right hand and then kicked at the same place causing a serious damage to the eye. After that Rodolfo went for the takedown, Saparov tried to escape but Vieira grappled him with a headlock, lifted him up, and then slammed down with full force. By this time Saparov was desperate enough, Rodalfo took this as an opportunity and applied an arm triangle choke and forced Safarov to tap.


Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Class Location
2020 UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero Saparbeg Safarov Win Submission 1 Middleweight Las Vegas, Nevada

Rodolfo Vieira VS Oskar Piechota

Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Class Location
2019 UFC on ESPN + Oskar Piechota Win Arm Triangle Choke 2 Middleweight Uruguay, South America

2.7. Rodolfo Vieira’s BJJ Instructorship

Rodalfo organized a live training camp in Baltimore Maryland which was greatly admired by the grappler’s family.

Rodolfo instructional DVDS are released in which all the secrets of learning to choke, smash and sweep the opponents are shared.

2.8. Championships and Accomplishments

Event Year Medal
ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship 2015 Gold
BJJ World Championship 2011,2011,  2012, 2013, 2014 Gold
BJJ World Championship 2013, 2014, Silver
World Cup 2009, 2011, 2011, 2012 2012,2013,2014 Gold
Copa Podio Grand Prix 2013, 2014 Gold
World Cup 2013,2014 Silver
Pan American Championship 2011, 2011 Gold
European Championship 2012, 2012 Gold

3. Rodolfo Vieira Main Achievements

Gi Tournaments:

Rodolfo won the IBJJF World Championship four times in different weight divisions.

Year Division
2014 100kg
2014 ABS
2013 94kg
2012 94kg
2011 94kg
2011 ABS

One time in ADCC

Years Division
2015 99kg

Two times IBJJF Pans Championship

Years Division
2011 94kg
2011 ABS

Two times Copa Pódio Grand Prix

Years Division
2013 100kg
2014 94kg

One time IBJJF European Open Championship

Years Division
2012 ABS
2012 94kg

Three times UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro

Years Division
2014 ABS
2014 100kg
2012 94kg
2011 92kg
2009 94kg

No-Gi Tournaments:

One time UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro

Years Division
2011 ABS

4. Rodolfo Vieira Main Achievements (Belts)

4.1. Black Belts

Position Belt Event Year
1st Black` ADCC 2009

4.2. Coloured Belts

Position Belt Event Year
1st Blue CBJJ Brazilian Nationals 2007
1st Purple CBJJ Brazilian Nationals 2008

5. Rodolfo Vieira Main Achievements (MMA)

One time winner ‘Performance of the Night’ against Dustin Stoltzfus

Year Opponent
2023 Cody Brundage
2021 Dustin Stoltzfus

Rodolfo Vieira Worldwide MMA Rankings

Rank Title
72 Current best MMA Middleweight Fighter

6. Rodolfo Vieira BJJ Professional Record Breakdown

Matches 109 Wins 97 Losses 12
By points 23 8
By advantage 7 2
By submission 63 2
By decision 4 0

6.1. Submission Methods W/L

Submission Method Wins 63 Losses 2
Choke From Back 23 0
RNC 1 1
Brabo Choke 1 0
Heel hook 0 1
Ezekiel 1 0
Arm in Ezekiel 2 0
Armbar 17 0
Choke from Mount 1 0
Bow and Arrow 1 0
Violin Armlock 1 0
Triangle 1 0
Kata Gatame 4 0
Mounted X Choke 2 0
Baseball Choke 1 0
Wristlock 1 0
Kimura 1 0
Submission 1 0
Choke 4 0

7. Rodolfo Vieira BJJ Fight History

Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Stage Weight Division
2009 World Pro. Braulio Estima W Pts: 0x0, Adv SF 94KG
2009 World Pro. Antonio Peinado W Adv F 94KG
2009 World Champ. Alexandre Souza L Pts: 0x0, Adv 4F 94KG
2010 WPC Gr trials Alexandre Ceconi L Adv F 92KG
2010 WPC RJ Trials Braga Neto W Choke from back SF 92KG
2010 WPC RJ Trials Alexandre Souza W Referee Decision F 92KG
2011 Pan American Leo Nogueira W Adv 4F 94KG
2011 Pan American D. Hertzog W Submission SF 94KG
2011 Pan American Bernardo Faria W Pts: 8x0 F 94KG
2011 Pan American Bernardo Faria W Pts: 0x0, Adv F ABS
2011 World Pro. Antonio Carlos W Points SF 92KG
2011 World Pro. Bruno Bastos W Pts: 15 x 0 F 92KG
2011 World Pro. Michael Langhi W Armbar 4F ABS
2011 World Pro. Tarsis Humphreys W Pts: 5x2 SF ABS
2011 World Pro. Rubens Charles W Choke from back F ABS
2011 World P. NoGi Rafael Lovato L Pts: 4x2 F 92KG
2011 World P. NoGi Rafael Mendes W Referee Decision F ABS
2011 World Champ. Matt Jubera W Triangle R1 ABS
2011 World Champ. Claudio Calasans W Armbar R2 ABS
2011 World Champ. Sergio Moraes W Pts: 8x0 4F ABS
2011 World Champ. Marcus Almeida W Armbar SF ABS
2011 World Champ. Bernardo Faria W Pts: 9x0 F ABS
2011 World Champ. Dustin Denes W Pts: 26x0 RDS 94KG
2011 World Champ. Gybson Sá W Armbar 4F 94KG
2011 World Champ. Rafael Lovato W Pts: 20x2 SF 94KG
2011 World Champ. Bernardo Faria W Pts: 3x0 F 94KG
2011 ADCC Joseph Lee Baize W Armbar R1 99KG
2011 ADCC Antonio Peinado W Pts: 5x0 4F 99KG
2011 ADCC Dean Lister L Heel hook SF 99KG
2012 European Open Unknown W Choke from back 4F 94KG
2012 European Open Tarcisio Jardim W Choke from back SF 94KG
2012 European Open Roberto Alencar W Arm in Ezekiel F 94KG
2012 European Open Victor Estima W Choke from back 4F ABS
2012 European Open Lucio Lagarto W Arm in Ezekiel SF ABS
2012 European Open Bernardo Faria W Pts: 7x0 F ABS
2012 World Pro. Cristiano Carioca W Choke from back 4F 94KG
2012 World Pro. Marcelo Bernardo W Armbar SF 94KG
2012 World Pro. Roberto Alencar W Armbar F 94KG
2012 World Pro. Bernardo Faria W Mounted X choke SF ABS
2012 World Pro. Andre Galvao W Pts: 4x2 F ABS
2012 World Champ. Diego Vivalde W Mounted X choke R2 ABS
2012 World Champ. James Puopolo W Choke from back R2 ABS
2012 World Champ. Marcus Almeida L Pts: 8x7 4F ABS
2012 World Champ. Alan Salgado W Choke from Mount R2 94KG
2012 World Champ. Fabiano Souza W Armbar 4F 94KG
2012 World Champ. Alexandre Ceconi W Choke from Back SF 94KG
2012 World Champ. Alexandre Ribeiro W Pts: 2x2, Adv F 94KG
2012 Rockstrike Luciano Gonçalves W Armbar NA ABS
2012 Rockstrike Gilmar de Oliveira W Choke from back NA ABS
2012 Rockstrike Kim Terra W Armbar NA ABS
2013 Copa Podio Alexandre Ceconi W Choke GP 100KG
2013 Copa Podio Leo Nogueira W Pts: 9x0 GP 100KG
2013 Copa Podio K. Cornelius W Pts: 10x0 GP 100KG
2013 Copa Podio Alexandre Ribeiro W Pts: 6x0 GP 100KG
2013 Copa Podio Alexandre Souza W Armbar SF 100KG
2013 Copa Podio Leo Nogueira W Adv F 100KG
2013 Metamoris 2 Braulio Estima W Referee Decision SPF ABS
2013 World Pro Roberto Alencar W Points SF 94KG
2013 World Pro Pedro Peres W Choke from back F 94KG
2013 World Pro Gustavo Campos W Choke from back R1 ABS
2013 World Pro Felipe Mota W Choke from back 4F ABS
2013 World Pro Claudio Calasans W Pts: 9x0 SF ABS
2013 World Pro Marcus Almeida L Pts: 4x2 F ABS
2013 Copa Podio Leonardo Leite W Armbar SPF 94KG
2013 World Champ. Lucas Sashs W Baseball choke RDS ABS
2013 World Champ. Antonio Peinado W Bow and arrow RDS ABS
2013 World Champ. Joao Rocha W Armbar 4F ABS
2013 World Champ. Leonardo Leite W Armbar SF ABS
2013 World Champ. Marcus Almeida L Pts: 10x0 F ABS
2013 World Champ. Yuri Simoes W Pts: 8x0 4F 94KG
2013 World Champ. Nivaldo Oliveira W Kata Gatame SF 94KG
2013 World Champ. Lucas Leite W Brabo choke F 94KG
2013 Copa Podio Leonardo Leite W Pts: 14x2 SPF ABS
2013 Copa Podio Ricardo Abreu W Adv SPF ABS
2014 Copa Podio Alexandre Souza W Armbar GP 94KG
2014 Copa Podio Faisal Kitbe W Choke from back GP 94KG
2014 Copa Podio Alan Belcher W Choke from back GP 94KG
2014 Copa Podio Leandro Lo D --- GP 94KG
2014 Copa Podio Travis Stevens W Choke from back SF 94KG
2014 Copa Podio Leandro Lo W Choke from back F 94KG
2014 World Pro. Unknown W Choke R1 ABS
2014 World Pro. Luiz Panza W Choke R3 ABS
2014 World Pro. Leandro Lo W Choke from back 4F ABS
2014 World Pro. Andre Galvao W Ezekiel SF ABS
2014 World Pro. Marcus Almeida L Pts: 2x0 F ABS
2014 World Pro. Luke Costello W Choke from back 4F 100KG
2014 World Pro. Lucio Rodrigues W Pts: 5x0 SF 100KG
2014 World Pro. Luiz Panza W Armbar F 100KG
2014 World Champ. AJ Agazarm W Choke from back R2 ABS
2014 World Champ. Sean Roberts W Choke from back R3 ABS
2014 World Champ. Alexander Trans W Choke 4F ABS
2014 World Champ. Bernardo Faria W Wristlock SF ABS
2014 World Champ. Marcus Almeida L Pts: 2x0 F ABS
2014 World Champ. James Puopolo W Choke from back 4F 100KG
2014 World Champ. Leo Nogueira W Kata Gatame SF 100KG
2014 World Champ. Bernardo Faria W Armbar F 100KG
2014 Team Nationals Pedro Moura W Choke from back RDS O88KG
2014 The Team I. Schneider W Choke from back RR O85KG
2015 ADCC Adam Sachnoff W Kata Gatame R1 99KG
2015 ADCC Cassio Francis W RNC 4F 99KG
2015 ADCC Alexandre Ribeiro W Pts: 6x0 SF 99KG
2015 ADCC Felipe Pena W Referee Decision F 99KG
2015 ADCC Ben Henderson W Kimura/Triangle R1 ABS
2015 ADCC Rafael Lovato W Pts: 5x0 4F ABS
2015 ADCC Joao Rocha L Pts: 2x0 SF ABS
2018 Black Belt CBD Kit Dale W Violin armlock SF 83KG
2018 Black Belt CBD Mahamed Aly W Points F 83KG
2019 Spyder Invitational A. Munis W Kata Gatame 4F 100KG
2019 Spyder Invitational Kaynan Duarte L Pts: 2x0 SF 100KG
2020 WNO 5 Kaynan Duarte L RNC 93KG SPF

8.  MMA Professional Record Breakdown

Matches 11 Wins 9 Losses 2
By Knockout 1 0
By Submission 8 1
By Decision 0 1

8.1. Submission Methods W/L

Submission Method Wins 8 Losses 1
Rear Naked Choke (RNC) 3 0
Guillotine Choke 0 1
TKO 1 0
Arm-Triangle Choke 4 0

9. Rodolfo Vieira MMA Fight History

Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Round Weight Division
2023 UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simón Cody Brundage W Arm-Traiangle Choke 2 Middleweight
2022 UFC on ESPN: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot Chris Curtis L Decision (unanimous) 3 Middleweight
2021 UFC on ESPN: Makhachev vs. Moisés Dustin Stoltzfus W Submission (rear-naked choke) 3 Middleweight
2021 UFC 258 Anthony Hernandez L Submission (guillotine choke) 2 Middleweight
2020 UFC 248 Saparbek Safarov W Submission (arm-triangle choke) 1 Middleweight
2019 UFC Fight Night: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Oskar Piechota W Submission (arm-triangle choke) 2 Middleweight
2019 ACA 96 Vitaliy Nemchinov W Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 Middleweight
2018 ACB 88 Jacob Holyman-Tague W Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 Middleweight
2018 ACB 82 Alexander Neufang W TKO (punches) 1 Middleweight
2017 Shooto Brazil 74 Fagner Rakchal W Submission (arm-triangle choke) 3 Light Heavyweight
2017 Arzalet Fighting Globe Championship 1 Daniyar Zarylbekov W Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 Light Heavyweight

10. Rodolfo Vieira Top Fights (Video Links)

European BJJ 2012 Rodolfo Vieira FINAL on his weight devision

Rodolfo Vieira vs Lucio Rodrigues Lagarto Open Class Europeans 2012

Rodolfo Vieira x Diogo Araújo by X-COMBAT

Rodolfo Vieira x Mário Reis by X-COMBAT

Abu Dhabi World Pro 2011 - RODOLFO VIEIRA vs CHARLES RUBENS COBRINHA - final black absoluto

Rodolfo Vieira x Cláudio Calasans by X-COMBAT


Photo Credit: @ rodolfovieira89

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