The UFC middleweight title scene has seen some really good strikers, with Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira being two of the biggest names out there. However, there are some top grapplers in the division as well. Besides Khamzat Chimaev, who’s fighting for the title soon at UFC 319, there’s another grappling-heavy contender on the rise, Andre Petroski, who revealed his plans in an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports.

Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya are primarily strikers and are pretty good at what they do. Andre Petroski believes he can dominate them with his grappling. He holds a record of 8 wins and 2 losses in the UFC and is climbing the ranks in the middleweight division. This weekend, he faces Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC on ESPN 69. Petroski revealed his plans after the fight, aiming to face ranked opponents next.

The middleweight fighter has a strong record and aims to make his mark in the UFC. He believes he can rise to the occasion. Andre Petroski aims to face tougher opponents. He rides a 3-fight winning streak and believes he will soon reach the top of the sport.

“I think that my time will come shortly,” said a confident Andre Petroski during the exclusive interview with Essentially Sports as he sat with our very own Andrew Whitelaw. Well, he’s not wrong. Besides the two back-to-back losses, Petroski, who turns 34 this Thursday, has shown to be a pretty credible contender, with three finishes since joining Dana White‘s promotion in 2021.

Andre Petroski is not yet in the rankings, but believes that one more win should make Dana White see the logic in giving him a top 15 opponent next. “I mean, I think after this [fight against Edmen Shahbazyan], there certainly has to be a top 15 guy. Four in a row,” Petroski added.

Andre Petroski aims higher than a top 15 fighter after UFC on ESPN 69. The soon-to-be 34-year-old has a few fighters in mind for his next match. Guess what? Marvin Vettori, a former middleweight title contender, stands out among the names. Petroski shared his thoughts.

Andre Petroski expresses interest in a fight against Marvin Vettori

Things have gone terribly bad since Marvin Vettori in the last few years. Since losing the chance to beat Israel Adesanya and become the middleweight champion back in 2021, ‘The Italian Dream’s UFC run has taken a nosedive with two wins in the last five fights. He slipped from his career-best ranking of #2 to the #10 spot, and now, Andre Petroski is looking to conquer Vettori, while also expressing his wish to fight Jack Hermansson, who also has had a pretty inconsistent run of late.

“I would love that Marvin Vettori fight,” Andre Petroski further stated during the exclusive interview with Essentially Sports. Claiming that he wasn’t asking anything out of the ordinary or something that he doesn’t feel like he deserves, the 33-year-old added, “I would love even like Hermansson… Brendan Allen. They’re not in the top five, so I don’t think it’s unreasonable for me to fight a guy from that 15 to 10 range.”

Fighters step up when facing top contenders in the spotlight. Andre Petroski joined the UFC the same year as Alex Pereira, but he hasn’t gained much attention like other middleweights. Dana White and his team might be overlooking this grappling-heavy fighter as he aims for the top of the division. What are your thoughts on Petroski’s plans if he wins his next fight and secures a fourth straight victory? Leave your thoughts below.