UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs Waterson: Marina Rodriguez vs Michelle Waterson -Prediction and Analysis

Published 05/08/2021, 3:22 AM EDT

Marina Rodriguez will fight Michelle Waterson in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs Waterson. The duo will clash in an important contest in the flyweight division of the UFC. Both fighters are taking the 5-round contest on brief notice after the original main event between Cory Sandhagen and T.J. Dillashaw failed to materialize. The two strawweight fighters will fight at flyweight.

The Brazilian, Rodriguez, is coming off a T/KO win over Amanda Ribas at UFC 257. She got back in the win column after suffering her first defeat as a professional in a split decision to Carla Esparza. Her record stands at an impressive 13-1-2.

The former Dana White’s Contender Series alumni had a draw against Randa Markos in her promotional debut. She also had a draw against Cynthia Calvillo in 2019. Decision wins over Jessica Aguilar and Tecia Torres are her other triumphs in the organization.

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Waterson, on the other hand, is coming off a split decision win over Angela Hill in her last fight. The former Invicta FC fighter has been fighting in the UFC since 2015. In her 10 UFC fights, ‘The Karate Hottie’ has racked up 6 wins. The Jackson-Wink MMA trainee has a professional record of 18-8.

Marina Rodriguez vs Michelle Waterson: Analysis

Rodriguez certainly has the power to put her opponents out. Her 6 T/KO wins as a professional is a testament to the same, but Waterson possesses a great chin and has been knocked out only once in her career.

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The most noticeable thing about Rodriguez‘s fights is that she gets tired in almost all of her bouts. As the contest progresses, the Brazilian slows down. These are in three-round fights. Hence, a 5-rounder on short notice may play a factor as ‘The Karate Hottie’ is known for her superior cardio.

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Waterson should be able to endure a strong start from her opponent and eventually win the later rounds to claim a unanimous decision in the important contest.

Final Prediction: Michelle ‘The Karate Hottie‘ Waterson by unanimous decision.

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Apratim Banerjee is an MMA author for EssentiallySports and has been writing professionally for almost a year. Before his current gig, Apratim worked as a UFC writer for Sportskeeda. A long-time MMA fan, Apratim has developed a critical eye for the sport that has helped him transfer his vast knowledge to his copies and give hardcore and casual readers a detailed insight into the fights and fighters.

UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs Waterson: Marina Rodriguez vs Michelle Waterson -Prediction and Analysis

Marina Rodriguez vs Michelle Waterson: Analysis

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