“The biggest difference between the Vitor of today and the Vitor of three years ago is maturity,” offered Petrino, who earned his spot on the roster with a second-round knockout win over compatriot Rodolfo Bellato on Season 6 of the annual talent search. “I still have the same desire to be a UFC champion, but today I know how the game works, and I’m increasingly prepared for bigger challenges.”

This week brings a pair of new challenges for Petrino as he steps in with the standout wrestler Petersen and returns to Rio, where he suffered the first loss of his professional career.

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While he already found his way back int the win column, there can be a little bit of a hangover when you walk back into a building where you’ve previously left disappointed, and first losses have a way of hitting harder than any others. On top of that, it was Petrino’s first chance to compete in his home country as a member of the UFC, and he fell flat, leaving him eager to make up for that result this time around.

“It’s a very important fight,” he began when asked about returning to Farmasi Arena on Saturday. “I want to recover from my last setback in Rio, but above all, I want to show how prepared I am in this new division.