UFC Vegas 116 (UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal / UFC Fight Night 274) is scheduled at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada (Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Valley), United States.
Prelims begin at 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PT, with the main card starting at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT (7:00 PM CDT). The event streams live on Paramount+.
The card features a featherweight main event between former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and surging contender Youssef Zalal. The bout you asked about—Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico (middleweight, 185 lbs)—sits on the preliminary card (approximately fight 6 of 12).
Injury Report
No injuries have been reported for Rodolfo Vieira or Eric McConico. Both fighters are expected to compete at full capacity. The broader UFC Vegas 116 card has seen several last-minute changes and withdrawals due to injuries (e.g., involving other bouts like Norma Dumont’s matchup and a Marcus Buchecha fight), but this specific middleweight preliminary bout remains intact and on schedule.
Fighter Matchup: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico (Middleweight – 3 Rounds)
Rodolfo Vieira (Brazil, age ~36, The Fighting Nerds)
Record: 11-4-0 (UFC: ~6-4)
Height/Reach: 6’0″ / ~73″
Stance: Orthodox
Recent Form (last 3 fights): Loss (KO/TKO, head kick, Rd 3 vs. Bo Nickal – Nov 15, 2025, UFC 322); Win (unanimous decision vs. Tresean Gore – Aug 2, 2025); Loss (unanimous decision vs. Andre Petroski – Feb 15, 2025).
Key Strengths: Elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu pedigree (5-time world champion, ADCC gold medalist). 9 of his 11 career wins are by submission (primarily arm-triangle chokes). He is a dangerous finisher who can dominate on the mat and has shown solid takedown defense/grappling control in recent outings.
Fight History Notes: Vieira entered the UFC with massive hype as a BJJ wizard. He has bonus-winning submissions (e.g., vs. Armen Petrosyan, Cody Brundage, Dustin Stoltzfus) but has struggled against elite wrestlers/strikers recently, including his first career KO loss to Nickal. He is coming off back-to-back losses before the Gore win and is motivated to rebound.
Eric McConico (USA, age ~35, The MMA Lab)
Record: 10-4-1
Height/Reach: 6’0″ / 77″ (4-inch reach advantage)
Stance: Not specified in recent data (orthodox common)
Recent Form (last 3 fights): Loss (KO/TKO, punch, Rd 3 vs. Baisangur Susurkaev – Nov 15, 2025, UFC 322); Win (split decision vs. Cody Brundage – Aug 9, 2025); Loss (KO/TKO, Rd 2 vs. Nursulton Ruziboev – Feb 22, 2025).
Key Strengths: Serviceable striker with power; 4 KO/TKO wins and 3 submissions career-wide. He has shown durability and the ability to grind out decisions (his only UFC win was a split decision over Brundage, whom Vieira also beat).
Fight History Notes: McConico has alternated wins and losses in the UFC, with both recent losses coming by KO/TKO. He ended a five-fight win streak with those setbacks and is 1-2 in his last three UFC appearances. He has never been submitted professionally.
Style Breakdown: This is a classic grappler-vs.-striker/decision-maker matchup. Vieira’s elite BJJ should give him a massive edge once the fight hits the mat, where McConico has shown vulnerability. McConico’s reach and striking could keep it standing early, but his recent KO losses raise red flags against Vieira’s pressure. Both men are coming off knockout losses on the same November 2025 card (UFC 322), which adds an intriguing mental/comeback narrative.
Rodolfo Vieira to win by submission / Under 2.5
FIGHT ODDS
Rodolfo Vieira – 250
Eric McConico + 200
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 24, 2026
