UFC Fight Night Mexico City: Rodriguez v. Stephens

MAIN CARD

YAIR RODRIGUEZ V. JEREMY STEPHENS

I feel like the UFC matchmakers are in a groove, they keep giving us matchups that should give us an exciting, electric fight. Jeremy Stephens is a brawler that likes to move forward. Yair Rodriguez is a kickboxer that has an arsenal of kicks that can put someone down in an instant. 

I didn’t realize how long Stephens has been in the UFC. His first fight in the UFC was against Din Thomas (now a coach of many great American Top Team fighters) at UFC 71 Liddell vs. Jackson. He wasn’t even Rampage yet, just Jackson. He has had 30 UFC fights. He is an even 15-15 in those fights. But his losses includes some UFC greats: Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Max Holloway, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, Zabit Magomedsharipov, Renato Moicano, and several other that aren’t as well known or strong names. He has beaten some top talent too: Rafael dos Anjos, Renan Barao, Doo Ho Choi, Josh Emmett, and some other less impressive talent. It’s pretty hard to get a gauge of where Jeremy Stephens is at because his losses aren’t coming to scrubs. He’s losing to the top of the featherweight division. Stephens has been a bit cooler in his more recent fights, not as sloppy as he used to be. That being said, his style is moving forward and try to collect a scalp. It can leave him open to eating some big counters.

Yair Rodriguez is a big prospect that started his UFC career 7-1. That one loss coming up against a fight with Frankie Edgar that was a little too much too quick. But it’s hard to blame the UFC for giving him Frankie. Yair was 6-0 with his four fights leading up to that fight being wins against Dan Hooker, Andre Fili, Alex Caceres, and BJ Penn. Granted, in hindsight, that BJ win wasn’t impressive. I could probably knock BJ out at this point in his career. Yair followed that tough Frankie fight with fight of the year 2018 and KO of the year for 2018 as well. With a literal last second KO of the Korean Zombie. Granted, he was losing for 24:58 of that fight. But that is all it takes for Yair, just one opening and he can put the fight away.

Yair Rodriguez by 3rd round TKO

CARLA ESPARZA V. ALEXA GRASSO

The inaugural UFC Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza faces off against hot prospect, Mexico’s own Alexa Grasso. Esparza is a grappler, her game plan will be to take Grasso down to the mat and beat her down. Lucky for her, Grasso is a boxer that has not shown the best grappling skills. Tatiana Suarez took Grasso down and immediately choked her out. But Suarez does that to nearly everyone, including Carla Esparza herself. Grasso looked very good in her last fight against Karolina Kowalkiewicz. The extent of grappling in that fight was some clinch work. So it is tough to figure out if her grappling has gotten much better. Esparza is coming off a win against Virna Jandiroba (no clue who that is). Esparza’s striking has gotten better in her last couple of fights. She needs to improve in that field if she is going to try to make a run to the top of the division again. This fight is going to be about who dictates the location of the fight, and if the other has improved in that area enough to get the win. If Esparza takes the fight to the mat, can Grasso survive or get a win? If Grasso keeps the fight standing up, can Esparza out point her or get a finish?

Alexa Grasso by decision

BRANDON MORENO V. ASKAR ASKAROV

Brandon Moreno caught UFC’s eye with a first round loss to Alexandre Pantoja in Ultimate Fighter season 24, the season to find someone to lose to Mighty Mouse. He parlayed that into a late notice replacement to face streaking Louis Smolka. Moreno caught Smolka in a guillotine in the middle of the first round. Moreno then beat Ryan Benoit and Dustin Ortiz. He got a main event slot against Sergio Pettis in Mexico City, and Pettis got the win. Moreno rematched Pantoja, and lost again. He was part of the flyweight purge of 2018. But the King of Cringe Henry Cejudo saved the flyweights, and they brought Moreno back for this card in Mexico City. Moreno is a strong grappler and a volume striker. His striking is sloppy, but the volume makes him a solid striker. He is a submission specialist. It’s crazy that he is only 25 years old, and seems like he has been around forever.

Moreno is squaring off against Askar Askarov, a Dagestani fighter that trains with Khabib. Askarov is making his UFC debut with a 10-0 record. Askarov is a typical Khabib style fighter. Decent standup, but solid grappling and wrestling. I don’t know if Askarov has wrestled any bears, but 7 of his 10 wins come by way of submission. The other 3 were KO/TKOs. He is a patient striker, he won’t put himself in terrible danger on the feet. But he will probably try to take Moreno to the ground and work a finish.

Askar Askarov by 2nd round TKO

IRENE ALDANA V. VANESSA MELO

Irene Aldana is coming off a loss to Raquel Pennington, I thought Aldana won this fight, but she looked decent and beat Bethe Correia when she submitted her in May. Aldana is very tall and has a long reach. This gives her an advantage in most of her fights. She can use the range and box from a distance. Vanessa Melo is making her UFC debut, and she has shown weaknesses against fighters that want to keep a distance. She likes to be up close. If Aldana can keep her distance, it should be a pretty routine fight for her.

Irene Aldana by decision

MARTIN BRAVO V. STEVEN PETERSON

This is a fun matchup of two guys that like to just keep moving forward and throwing strikes. This will be an entertaining fight. These guys are pretty new to the UFC, but have already delivered several entertaining fights. You won’t see running and dancing in this one. Peterson is a better wrestler, but he hasn’t used his wrestling much in his short UFC career.

Martin Bravo by decision

PRELIMS

JOSE ALBERTO QUINONEZ V. CARLOS HUACHIN

Jose Alberto Quinonez by decision

MARCO POLO REYES V. KYLE NELSON

Marco Polo Reyes by 2nd round TKO

ARIANE CARNELOSSI V. ANGELA HILL

Ariane Carnelossi by 3rd round TKO

SERGIO PETTIS V. TYSON NAM

Sergio Pettis by decision

VINCIUS MOREIRA V. PAUL CRAIG

Paul Craig by 2nd round submission

SIJARA EUBANKS V. BETHE CORREIA

Sijara Eubanks by decision

CLAUDIO PUELLES V. MARCOS ROSA MARIANO

Claudio Puelles by 1st round submission