Oct 9, 2021

  • Marc RaimondiESPN Staff Author

One matchup makes the nearly sense for Marina Rodriguez following her victory in Saturday's UFC Fight Night primary issue against Mackenzie Dern: Joanna Jedrzejczyk

The UFC'south women's strawweight partitioning is one of the most intriguing in the promotion right now. On Saturday night, Rodriguez put herself near the heart of that contender give-and-take. Rodriguez showed over again she'southward one of the all-time women'due south 115-pound fighters in the globe in a complete victory over Dern. Over the course of the fight, Rodriguez survived some precarious situations on the basis against Dern, the former Brazilian jiu-jitsu pound-for-pound queen, and reminded anybody that her striking is among the best in women'due south MMA.

You know who else has some of the best striking in all of mixed martial arts? Jedrzejczyk, the former strawweight champion and current title contender in the sectionalization. Jedrzejczyk seems like the near logical adjacent opponent for Rodriguez as both try to earn a title shot. Rodriguez has just one loss in 8 UFC appearances, but that one loss came against Carla Esparza. Rose Namajunas will defend her UFC women'south strawweight title against Zhang Weili at UFC 268 on Nov. six in New York. Esparza, by all accounts, should be queued upwardly for the winner of that tour.

With those three seemingly decorated in the coming months, nothing makes more sense for Rodriguez than Jedrzejczyk. Not simply would that be a potential title eliminator, information technology has the potential to exist an absolute masterclass in Muay Thai. Remember how expert Zhang vs. Jedrzejczyk was last year? Get ready for another banger if the former Joanna Champion and Rodriguez lock horns.

Sources told me recently that Jedrzejczyk would love to claiming the winner of Zhang vs. Namajunas. She has lost to both women, simply the war against Zhang was an all-time archetype, and three years accept passed since the second of her dorsum-to-back losses to Namajunas. There is a case to be made for Jedrzejczyk as a title challenger once more, merely it would shore up her résumé in a big mode if she were to beat Rodriguez. Sources besides said Jedrzejczyk is planning a return to the Octagon in March or Apr. Currently, she's still in her native Poland.

Perhaps this performance from Rodriguez causes Jedrzejczyk to go online and buy a flying to Florida and so she can get back to her American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek. There's some other woman at 115 pounds staking the claim of existence a acme striker. Jedrzejczyk might have to come calling to cement her status one time once again. Still not convinced? Rodriguez's director Tiago Okamura used to manage Jedrzejczyk. There are several layers of story here, and Jedrzejczyk vs. Rodriguez would further show that strawweight is ane of the well-nigh fun divisions in the UFC.

Welterweight: Randy Brown (14-4, 8-4 UFC) def. Jared Gooden (18-7, 1-3 UFC) by unanimous decision | Watch this fight on ESPN+

More than five years after he was "discovered" on Dana White's "Lookin' for a Fight," Chocolate-brown seems to really exist hitting his stride.

A confident Brown outpointed Gooden via unanimous decision (thirty-27, 30-27, 30-27) despite a dislocated toe. Brown landed a beautiful front kicking to the face that rocked Gooden in the first round, but that kick damaged his big toe and Brownish had issues throwing correct kicks from there.

"Anybody could go it -- anybody," Dark-brown said. "I've been hither working for a long time. "

Gooden tried to get back into the fight with leg kicks, which were constructive only non nearly enough. Brown landed a big uppercut, some punching combinations and a left head kick in the second circular to maintain command in the fight. In the third, Brown tried to pour information technology on with a jumping genu and big boxing combinations, simply Gooden held strong. Dark-brown had, notwithstanding, already done more than than plenty to win.

Brownish, 31, has won two straight and four of his final five fights. The Massachusetts-born fighter who grew upwards in New York, has only lost to top welterweight contender Vicente Luque since 2018. Gooden, 27, has dropped three of his last four fights. The fighter from Alabama, who trains out of Georgia, missed weight by three pounds Friday, coming in at 174 pounds against the 171-pound non-title welterweight contest.

Men's flyweight: Matheus Nicolau (17-3-1, 5-1 UFC) def. Tim Elliott (18-12-1, 6-10 UFC) by unanimous decision | Watch this fight on ESPN+

It appears Nicolau is prepare to take his identify most the meridian of the flyweight division -- a point he almost reached earlier getting cut past the UFC in 2019.

Nicolau outpointed the always-game Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in a battle of streaking 125-pound fighters. The UFC cut Nicolau ii ½ years ago when the promotion was because dropping the flyweight sectionalization altogether, but he has non lost since then.

Elliott, a fan favorite, outgrappled Nicolau in the commencement round, but Nicolau rallied with his striking and then wrestling in the third round. Afterward, Nicolau said he'd like to fight anyone to a higher place him in the rankings next.

"My goal here is I want to become champion," Nicolau said in his postfight interview. "I know it'southward stride-past-step. With very difficult and serious work, I'll go there."

Nicolau, 28, has won four in a row, including 2 directly since his return to the UFC earlier this yr. The fighter from Brazil has just one loss since 2012. Elliott, a 34-year-quondam fighting out of Missouri, had a two-fight winning streak snapped, and he has lost five of his last 7.

Women'due south flyweight: Mariya Agapova (10-two, ii-1 UFC) def. Sabina Mazo (9-3, 3-three UFC) by third-round submission (rear-naked asphyxiate) | Watch this fight on ESPN+

This win could be the one people get back to as a turning point in Agapova'southward career.

Agapova landed a beautiful combination -- a straight left followed by a crushing correct claw out of the southpaw stance -- to drop Mazo. Agapova then pounced on Mazo's back and quickly locked in a rear-naked asphyxiate. Mazo tapped almost immediately, with the finish coming at 53 seconds of the tertiary round.

In both the get-go and 2nd rounds, Agapova looked as proficient equally she e'er has with her boxing. Mazo pressed forward, but Agapova landed multiple combinations with her hands, bloodying Mazo tardily in the offset.

Agapova, 24, bounced dorsum from a stunning upset loss to Shana Dobson in August 2020. From Kazakhstan and fighting out of Florida, Agapova has won four of her last 5 fights and must exist considered a top prospect now in the women's flyweight division. Mazo, a 24-year-old from Colombia who fights out of California, has dropped two direct following a three-fight winning streak.

Men'southward bantamweight: Chris Gutierrez (17-3-2, 5-ane-one UFC) def. Felipe Colares (ten-3, ii-iii UFC) by divide decision | Watch this fight on ESPN+

Gutierrez escaped after spending almost of the third circular on his dorsum, got up and started landing large combinations, including a couple of spinning elbows mixed in as he fought until the final bell.

Colares had his moments throughout the fight, but ultimately the judges gave the nod to Gutierrez via split decision (28-29, 30-27, xxx-27). Gutierrez was more active and the more dangerous striker throughout, using his leg kicks and boxing combinations to proceed the edge.

Gutierrez, 30, is unbeaten in half dozen direct UFC fights. Hailing from Boston and training out of Factory X in Colorado, Gutierrez has lost just once since 2017 and could be looking at a contender fight next at 135 pounds. Colares, a 27-year-onetime from Brazil, has alternated wins and losses since debuting in the UFC in 2019.

Heavyweight: Alexandr Romanov (15-0, 4-0 UFC) def. Jared Vanderaa (12-6, 1-2 UFC) past second-round TKO (strikes) | Watch this fight on ESPN+

The undefeated Romanov took things to the ground, got into mount and proceeded to maul and bloody Vanderaa. Referee Marking Smith stepped in to stop information technology at 4:43 of the second round, giving Romanov the win via TKO.

Romanov, 30, has won all 4 of his UFC fights. That's the third longest active winning streak in the heavyweight partitioning, backside only interim champion Ciryl Gane (seven), champion Francis Ngannou (5) and Marcin Tybura (5). The fighter from Romania has never gone the altitude in any of his 15 pro fights, and looks similar a potential future contender. Vanderaa, a 29-year-old from Washington, has dropped 2 of iii in the UFC.

"I take come hither for fighting," Romanov said in his postfight interview. "What conclusion volition be from UFC's side, I'm fix to accept anyone's claiming."

Men's featherweight: Damon Jackson (19-iv-1, ane NC; ii-2-1, 1 NC UFC) def. Charles Rosa (fourteen-vi, iv-2-one UFC) by unanimous decision | Watch this fight on ESPN+

The win was a big one for Jackson, simply the story of the fight was one of the bloodiest rounds in UFC history.

Rosa landed a spinning, upward elbow -- reminiscent of the one Yair Rodriguez used against Chan Sung Jung -- to open the tertiary circular. The blow opened upwards a gnarly cut to the correct of Jackson'southward right eye.

To Jackson's credit, he never lost his cool and held on for a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27) win. Most of the third round consisted of Rosa and Jackson grappling in a slippery mess of Jackson'southward blood.

Jackson, 33, has won 2 of iii fights in his 2d UFC run. The Texas resident holds a x-3 record since his first stint in the UFC, which concluded in 2016. Rosa, a 35-year-erstwhile from Massachusetts fighting out of Florida, has alternated wins and losses in all of his 11 UFC fights going dorsum to 2014.

Strawweight: Loopy Godinez (half-dozen-1, 1-1 UFC) def. Silvana Gomez Juarez (10-3, 0-1 UFC) past first-circular submission (armbar) | Watch this fight on ESPN+

Godinez dominated the whole manner with her wrestling and grappling. So, she transitioned from the back into a beautiful armbar, and the submission finish came at iv:fourteen of the first round.

Godinez, a 28-year-onetime Mexican fighting out of Vancouver, picked up her first UFC victory after falling to Jessica Penne past split decision in April. Godinez is a former LFA strawweight champion. Gomez Juarez, a 36-twelvemonth-old from Argentina, was making her UFC debut on short discover.

Godinez lost her original opponent, Sam Hughes, due to COVID-xix protocols. Gomez Juarez, who was scheduled for Dana White's Contender Series on Tuesday, got called up for this bout. Gomez Juarez had a three-fight winning streak snapped.

Lightweight: Steve Garcia (12-four, 1-1 UFC) def. Charlie Ontiveros (11-viii, 0-2 UFC) by second-round TKO (strikes) | Watch this fight on ESPN+

Garcia was dropped twice in the first round, merely split Ontiveros open belatedly in the kickoff round and finished on the footing -- from mount -- with punches one round subsequently. The official event was a TKO at one:51 of the 2nd circular.

Garcia, a 29-year-old from New Mexico, has won v of vi, but this was his first UFC victory. Ontiveros, a xxx-year-old fighting out of Texas, has lost 2 in a row to start his UFC run. Ontiveros debuted in the UFC at middleweight last Oct and, in this fight, competed in a partition that's xxx pounds lighter.