UFC Fight Night expert picks: Between Rodriguez’s standup and Waterson’s ground game, what wins out?

05/08/2021

MMA columnist for ESPN.com
Analyst for “MMA Live”
Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event will see a pair of strawweight contenders compete at flyweight in a five-round bout that came together on short notice.

As announced Tuesday, Marina Rodriguez (13-1-2) and Michelle Waterson (18-8) will take center stage at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was originally supposed to headline the card, but he was forced out of a scheduled fight against Cory Sandhagen due to injury.

Obviously, the circumstances around the new main event aren’t ideal, but it’s a meaningful matchup nevertheless. Even though it will be fought at 125 pounds, the result will have a big impact on the UFC’s 115-pound rankings, where Rodriguez and Waterson are sixth and ninth, respectively.

Who has the edge? ESPN asked several experts for their breakdowns and predictions.

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