5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez
This weekend sees the UFC return to Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez.
This UFC Fight Night card isn’t that heavy on name value, nor does it have the same appeal as last week’s event, but it still looks watchable.
Made us go 😳 then 😱
[ @WMMARZ | #UFCVegas39 | Saturday | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] https://t.co/d0JgFGm6JX
So, with a number of high-level fighters on offer as well as a potential title eliminator in the main event, UFC fans should still keep an eye on this one.
Here are five reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez.
#5. Matheus Nicolau could be a dark horse in the UFC flyweight division
The UFC flyweight division is relatively thin on title contenders right now. After current champion Brandon Moreno defends against former champ Deiveson Figueiredo in their trilogy bout, it’s uncertain who’ll be next in line for the winner.
That’s why this weekend’s battle of top 15-ranked 125lbers is definitely one worth watching. The fight sees No.9-ranked Tim Elliott face off with No.11 Matheus Nicolau. While former title challenger Elliott is higher on the ladder right now, it’s Nicolau who might be the more intriguing prospect.
The Brazilian has a sneakily good record of 4-1 in the UFC, with his only loss coming at the hands of Dustin Ortiz in 2018. Overall, his record of 16-2-1 is one of the better ones in the flyweight division right now.
UFC vet Matheus Nicolau basically KO'd Alan Gabriel, but the ref wanted more. Locks up the D'arce instead. #FutureFC5 https://t.co/WSGwJCeRck
Nicolau isn’t quite the full package just yet. He struggled on the feet with Manel Kape at times in his last fight. However, he matches up relatively well with Elliott thanks to his dangerous submission game. Despite being a great grappler in his own right, Elliott has been known to fall into submission losses before.
If Nicolau can defeat him, he should move up into the top 10. With one more win, a title shot might well be in reach.