After Winning In UFC Debut, Andre Petroski Hopes To Be Inspiration For Those Battling Addiction

Andre Petroski won in his UFC Fight Night debut, but the fighter said this is something he never thought would happen.

Petroski (6-2) defeated Micheal Gillmore with a third-round TKO Saturday night on the same card as Giga Chikadze and Edson Barboza. The 30-year-old revealed he had an overdose in 2018 and fighting was his way out of his heroin addiction.

“ I should be dead,” he told MMA Junkie. “So for me to get a second chance, and thank God I never had to go back to that … fighting was like my way out and helping me.

“I had a daughter, and that helped, as well. Just getting through that sh*t makes you mentally stronger,” he added. “I think that has helped me a lot with all the bottoms.”

Petroski debuted in the UFC after his run on Season 29 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

In 2018, he had a sole matchup against Mark Krumrine, which he won via TKO (punches) in Round 1. His next fight wasn’t until May 2019 with Ryan Parker.

But Saturday night marked his first win since 2020. He said he’s ready for whatever opponent is coming to him next.

“Losing a fight is such a small road block compared to some of the rock bottoms I’ve been through in life,” Petroski said. “It just prepared me for these moments.”