Nolan Stuart admits nerves before facing Davi Vetoraci

Nolan Stuart opens his heavyweight title defense at The Crown on Sunday (Nov. 8) against Davi Vetoraci at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California. The day before, even as champion, he admitted the nerves: “Anyone who says they don’t get nervous is lying.”

Two guard players

“It’s going to be two guard players. He plays lasso, I play lasso. Let’s see what happens,” Nolan told VF Comunica. “I know my game, he knows his. It’s going to be a show.” Asked if he is ready to get back at the Vetoraci family, he said: “Yes, I’m ready.” Davi’s brother, Matheus Vetoraci, submitted Nolan at the Europeans.

The Vetoraci plan

Asked if the Vetoracis are Nolan’s kryptonite, Matheus said: “We’ll see. I think so. I hope so. But our goal isn’t just to win the first match, it’s to win them all. Our goal is for both of us to leave with the crown.” He added: “I think Davi is more complete. Honestly, I’ve never seen Nolan pass guard that much. I’ve seen him play guard more.”

Davi, who recently got his U.S. visa, talked about the opportunity: “Now we have the chance to be in the United States, to compete in events like this, to compete at Worlds, which I think is the dream of any high-level athlete.” On the matchup: “I think it’ll be a fight over who ends up on the bottom.”

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The winner meets the winner of Fellipe Andrew vs. Windson Torres in the semifinal. Matheus also competes Sunday at ultra-heavy against Alexander Sak.

The full interviews are in our Crown vlog on the VF Comunica YouTube channel. VF Comunica’s coverage of The Crown is presented by Kingz.

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