Course Correction

Vinicius Salvador never envisioned this kind of start to his Ultimate Fighting Championship career, as consecutive losses have painted him into a corner.

The 2022 Dana White’s Contender Series graduate will once again set out in search of his first win inside the Octagon when he confronts Adrian Yanez in a three-round UFC Fight Night 241 bantamweight showcase this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Salvador, 27, believes he has identified some of the missing pieces that have hampered him in back-to-back defeats to Victor Altamirano and C.J. Vergara.

“We sat down and figured out some corrections,” he told Sherdog.com. “I know I’m coming off two losses. It’s a bit difficult and frustrating to be in this position in the UFC. A lot of folks say that even though I lost, the fights were closely contested. We studied my losses, spotted my errors and implemented corrections. I’m feeling very confident going into this next one.”

Salvador likely faces an uphill climb as a heavy underdog in his latest assignment. Despite recent losses to Rob Font and Jonathan Martinez, Yanez remains one of the UFC’s most promising young bantamweights. Knockouts of Victor Rodriguez, Gustavo Lopez, Randy Costa and Tony Kelley serve as warnings of the firepower he brings to the table. A protégé of the late Saul Soliz, Yanez has six first-round finishes to his credit.

“He’s very good,” Salvador said. “His boxing is very sharp. He moves very well. He’s very experienced and has faced even more experienced opponents. He’s a natural knockout artist, just like me. His ground game is good, but we found some holes in his game. We’re working with those in mind. I picture myself winning by knockout, same as always. I always look to win by knockout. This fight won’t be any different.

In advance of his looming battle with Yanez at 135 pounds, Salvador turned to longtime trainer Marcelo Ribas to sharpen his skills and identify any potential pitfalls.

“I’ve been with him since I was 8 years old,” Salvador said. “I have the same training partners as always. We’ve been drilling against the holes we found in Adrian’s game. Everything is going very well in this camp. We’re getting ready for another win by knockout.”

Because of the aforementioned losses to Altamirano and Vergara, Salvador’s margin for error has grown precariously thin inside the cutthroat bantamweight division. As a result, he has put his future plans on hold in order to concentrate on the present.

“I’m only thinking about this fight right now,” he said. “I’m very frustrated by my losses. I’m remaining grounded during this training camp and keeping my focus. I’m facing a tough guy who has a good deal of knockout power. I expect we’ll have a war. After the fight, we’ll think about what’s next.”