Former LFA champion Rodolfo Berato hopes for a drama-free night in the cage when he co-headlines his first UFC event on Saturday against Paul Craig at UFC Vegas 106.
“Trater” was signed by the UFC after two appearances Dana WhiteCandidate Series for And he had to delve deep into his debut and survive the onslaught before knocking out Ihor Potieria in December 2023 for a $50,000 bonus at UFC Austin.
Just a year later, Berato, where then-light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was in the corner, ended again this time with the opening round by Jimmy Crute. However, he survived, kept his distance and went home in a rare majority draw.
Berat said he met the moment of UFC CEO Dana White Backstage after a 15-minute war and was praised by executives for “beating back.” However, at UFC Vegas 106 he is aiming for a clean victory. If there is blood spilling, just Craig.
“Every fight tells us something,” Berato told MMA Fighting. “I could see that thank God lol (lol) never has, but if it’s a little less emotional, it’s better.
Craig will return to the light heavyweight division after a 1-3 trip to middleweight between 2023 and 2024, where he will be defeated by Beau Nikkar, Caio Boraljo and Brendan Allen. He had previously left the 205-pound class after losing to Johnnie Walker and Forcan Ozdemire, so Berat had hoped he would be under pressure.
“He’s not the kind of person I was expecting to fight, but when it was booked, my coach and I said there’s no better person for us to fight now,” Berato said. “Great strategy, a style that matches well with ours. It’s the perfect matchup for us. He’s a dangerous guy and deserves all his respect, but I’m in a better moment than him.
“It’s a dangerous guy, he has a good ground game, but it’s a bit of a predictable style and we can see the holes that fit our game well. I’m well trained for this fight. I did a full camp this time. Game, do you know?”
Craig took his 20th walk into the UFC Cage in a 9-9-1 promotional record, beating the future and former champions like Magom Doan Karaev, Jamahar Hill and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Despite Craig’s experience with elite fighters and the greatest ever, Berat expects the Scottish veteran to struggle with his balanced game.
“Most of his fights are trying to takedowns, pull the guards and play on the ground at every cost, except for the final fight with Bo Nikkal, where he stepped in in the third round,” Berato said. “And I believe that since my battle still lacked significant ground labor, he thinks, ‘It’s going to be easier to get to the ground.’ But he does not train me in a black strip of Jiu Jitsu.
“I don’t want this to be a crowded type of fight with strikers,” he continued. “No, I’m an MMA fighter and I train everything. I’m ready for anything. Wherever the fight goes, I’m ready to finish it.”