Outpoll | DWCS 86 video: Levi Rodrigues knees Freddy Vidal, gets thanks from Dana White

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DWCS 86 video: Levi Rodrigues knees Freddy Vidal, gets thanks from Dana White

DWCS 86 video: Levi Rodrigues knees Freddy Vidal, gets thanks from Dana White

2 days ago7 min read10 comments

Alright, let's break down what went down at DWCS 86, because if you missed this, you missed a classic case of 'just when you thought this fight was gonna put you to sleep. ' Levi Rodrigues, the undefeated Brazilian prospect training out of Inside Muay Thai in Sao Paulo with killers like Jean Matsumoto and Ariane Carnelossi, was stuck in one of those grueling fence-hugging sessions against Freddy Vidal.Vidal, the 31-year-old elementary school teacher who, let's be real, has a wild side hustle taking short-notice fights—he just fought five weeks ago on DWCS, but Dana White passed on him then, calling the performance lacking excitement. And for the first few minutes of this one, it looked like we were heading for a repeat; White was probably already drafting another 'thanks, but no thanks' message.But then, at 3:20 into the first round, Rodrigues—who's now 6-0 with all wins by TKO/KO, because of course he is—uncorked a knee that connected clean, followed up with some punches, and just like that, Vidal was out. The place erupted, and the real drama started.Rodrigues, hyped up, shouted his thanks to Dana through the cage. And Dana? Man, he didn't just nod; he basically gave a sigh of relief live on air, saying, 'All right, thank you.He was stinking up the place. Thank you.Yeah, you saved us. ' That's not your usual post-fight chatter—that's the boss admitting you just rescued the main event from being a snoozefest.This moment is huge for Rodrigues, cementing his rep as a finisher in a sport that craves highlight-reel stoppages, especially on the Contender Series where contracts are on the line every Tuesday. Think about it: in a night packed with bangers like Juan Diaz's spinning back elbow KO and Wes Schultz's slick Suloev stretch submission, Rodrigues's knee stands out because it came when the energy was dipping.It's like hitting a game-winning three-pointer in the NBA Finals when your team's down—it's not just about the win; it's about the timing and the drama. For Vidal, this is a tough pill to swallow; he's got heart, taking fights on short notice, but in Dana's world, if you don't bring the fireworks, you're not getting that UFC ticket.Rodrigues, though? He's the new guy to watch, and with this performance, he's not just earning a contract—he's earning buzz that could propel him into the stacked UFC roster faster than you can say 'knockout artist. ' The broader context here is how the Contender Series has evolved into this pressure cooker where fighters aren't just winning; they're performing for the boss's approval, and Rodrigues nailed it with a move that felt straight out of a video game.If he keeps this up, we might be talking about him in the same breath as other Brazilian stars who exploded onto the scene. For now, though, let's just appreciate that knee—it was the kind of moment that makes you jump off your couch and text your friends, 'Did you see that?!'.