In a fight photograph, Peterson’s Superman emblem across his chest tends to catch the eye first. Orange flames frame it, while the colored sleeve on his left arm and red-and-gray design on his upper back fill out the picture.

MMA fans know Peterson as “Ocho.” He fought in Legacy, Bellator and the UFC. Combat Press called out his chest tattoo in a 2016 preview, years before his last UFC appearance. Short hair, a beard and that broad shield became part of his familiar look in the cage.

The photos show the tattoos more clearly than their backstory. A 2022 Cageside Press interview includes Peterson talking about them, but it doesn’t confirm an artist or session dates. The images let us focus on the designs without filling in what hasn’t been established.

The Superman tattoo across his chest

Peterson’s chest piece follows the familiar Superman shield, with the S inside and its point aimed toward the middle of his torso. The top spreads across his chest. Gray shading gives the edges a metallic look, and the red interior isn’t the flat red-and-yellow used in the best-known comic-book version.

Orange flames spread from the shield toward both shoulders, with dark, feather-like forms behind them. Their uneven curves set off the emblem’s sharp edges and carry the design across the chest, leaving the red S as its clear center.

In the TUF 27 Finale photo, Peterson faces Matt Bessette with his arms raised. The S remains readable even as some of the shoulder detail turns away from the camera.

The emblem is clearly Superman, but the photos don’t tell us why Peterson chose it. Without a direct explanation from him, a particular film, family memory or childhood influence would be guesswork.

The shield and crossed blades on his upper back

His upper back has a second large piece: a red-and-gray angular shield whose lower point follows his spine. In the faceoff photo, long blade-like forms extend across both shoulders.

Compared with the flames on his chest, the back piece has a tighter outline. Red traces its edges and interior, and gray shading gives the shapes a beveled look. Skin remains open below the neck and lower on his back; close up, the narrower outlines show the blades extending past the shield.

The chest and back pieces share pointed centers, dark borders and red accents, so they feel related when Peterson turns. They keep their own shapes, though: flames spread the chest design outward, while the crossed blades widen the back piece.

The Superman piece nearby can make the back shield look like another character emblem, but the photo doesn’t establish that. What we can identify is its red-and-gray shape and the crossed blades; a personal meaning isn’t documented here.

The colored sleeve on his left arm

Color covers Peterson’s left arm from shoulder toward wrist. On the upper arm, an open-mouthed creature’s face sits beneath sweeping green shapes, with orange and darker shading around it. The sleeve has a looser, busier feel than the chest emblem.

In the ground-fighting photo, his left arm turns toward the camera. The face fills much of the upper arm, while curved bands and smaller forms continue below; orange runs between darker sections and ties the colors together.

Large images share the sleeve with smaller forms tucked behind them. The dark outlines hold the colors together, and the shifts in scale keep the arm from reading like a row of repeated panels.

Older fight photos also show Matt Bessette, who has extensive arm tattoos of his own. In the chest photo, the bald fighter on the right is Bessette; Peterson is on the left with the Superman emblem. Keep the two straight when identifying the ink.

The left sleeve and chest work meet at the shoulder, so the colors flow together in the finished photos. That doesn’t show whether they were planned or tattooed at the same time, and it doesn’t identify the artist.

Peterson at UFC 263

Peterson faces Chase Hooper at UFC 263 in June 2021, on the right side of this photo. The Bessette images are from the TUF 27 Finale in July 2018.

Peterson won both fights by decision. Bessette gave him his first UFC victory, a split decision; Hooper followed three years later. The Bessette bout moved between standing exchanges, the clinch and ground control.

In the Hooper photo, the chest shield bends with Peterson’s torso and the colored shoulder turns toward the camera as he punches. It’s a rougher view than a faceoff, but it shows how the tattoos sit on him in motion.

The Julian Erosa fight

The next photo is from Peterson’s February 2022 bout with Julian Erosa. Peterson is on the left. They went three rounds, with Erosa winning a split decision. UFC later described it as a Fight of the Night performance.

Arena light and movement make this a harder frame to read than the faceoff. The chest outline still registers, though the smaller color details are easier to see in the earlier photos.

Before the bout, Peterson spoke with Cageside Press about the matchup, his nickname and his tattoos. The interview adds his own perspective alongside what the photos show.

Mexico City and the years after competing

The Mexico City photo shows Peterson on the left against Martin Bravo in September 2019. Peterson won with a second-round spinning backfist. It’s a different bout from Erosa and the decision wins shown above.

Peterson retired from MMA competition after facing Lucas Alexander in March 2023. He stayed close to the sport as a coach; Fortis MMA lists him on its coaching staff.

For contrast, Alessio Sakara’s Roman-themed tattoos take a different approach. Peterson’s collection centers on a large superhero shield and a colorful sleeve.

Peterson’s interview below gives his own account of the tattoos.