Three months after winning the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) gold medal in Sao Paulo, Rodolfo Vieira has finally signed a deal to make a transition to mixed martial arts.
A four-time jiu-jitsu world champion as a black belt, Vieira was offered a contract by Real Fight promoters right after winning the ADCC title in September, and announced on Monday they have reached a deal.
"For those who asked, it’s on," Vieira posted on his social media. "In October of 2016, I will officially debut in MMA. I was in Yokohama, Japan, this past weekend to meet with Real Fight promoters and set the final details of the contract."
The 26-year-old grappler, who defeated the likes of Ben Henderson, Alan Belcher, Sergio Moraes and Andre Galvao in grappling tournaments, told MMAFighting.com in September he plans on cutting down to 185 pounds for his mixed martial arts duties.
Vieira will undergo hip surgery Wednesday, and then will move to Florida to train at American Top Team.
"I know ATT has everything to take me to the top, and will only depend on me to make that happen," Vieira recently stated in a release. "I will train hard and dedicate myself to succeed on this new road."