by Dan Mendoza
A new UFC Fight Night card is here, and the main event features two strawweights, Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez. The winner of this fight could become a contender for the number one spot.
The co-main event pits rising Welterweights Randy Brown against Jared Gooden. Both fighters are attempting to break into the top 15 of the division.
UFC Fight Night: Dern Vs. Rodriguez Start Time
- Date: Saturday, October 9
- Main card: 1:00 p.m. PT/4:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. BST
- Main event (approx): 4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET/12:00 a.m. BST
Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez Betting Odds
Mackenzie Dern vs Marina Rodriguez, two Brazilian strawweights, will square off in a highly anticipated encounter between two of the division’s finest. Dern is highly renowned for her Brazilian Ju-Jitsu pedigree and has ended three opponents by submission in her past four fights, while Rodriguez is hoping to move up the ranks with a victory against Dern.
Mackenzie Dern Winning Odds
Mackenzie Dern has been on a roll since entering the UFC in 2018. She has won six of her seven fights, with the bulk of her victories coming through submission. She has a blackbelt in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and has improved her striking, allowing her to go inside and utilize her BBJ foundation. In this bout, expect her to actively bring the fight to the ground and go for submissions to win.
Marina Rodriguez Winning Odds
Marina Rodriguez is the underdog in this bout and hopes to become a title contender by beating Dern. Rodriguez began her UFC career after winning a contract on the Contender Brazil show. She’s won four times since then, the most recent against former contender Michelle Waterson. She is well-known for her Muay Thai skills and will attempt to keep Dern at bay by using knees, elbows, kicks, and punches. Her best course of action is to keep striking, avoid going to the ground, and aim for a decision to win.
Randy Brown vs. Jared Gooden Betting Odds
Randy Brown and Jared Gooden square off in the co-main event at welterweight. Both fighters are known for their power, size, and range. Brown will be attempting to break into the top 15 rankings, while Gooden will be attempting to steal his thunder and add his name to his resume.
Randy Brown Odds
Randy Brown is the odds-on favorite in this fight. The Jamaican-American got his start in the UFC after winning a contract on Dana White’s Looking for a Fight series. He has won seven of his eleven fights since entering the UFC, with the majority of those victories coming by submission. His most recent victory came in April against Alex Oliveria. Brown is a well-rounded individual who can adjust to any scenario. Due to his recent success, he should adopt a more wrestling-oriented strategy and look for submissions.
Jared Gooden Winning Odds
Jared Gooden is the underdog in this fight, and for good reason: his UFC career began with two losses against mid-level competition. He was able to redeem himself in his last bout with a 68-second knockout and is eager to add Brown’s name to his resume. He’s large for the division and known for his knockout power, but he’s also not afraid to try for submissions. He should push the pace and aim for a KO/TKO finish if he wants to win.
Tim Elliot vs. Matheus Nicolau Betting Odds
Next up are two rising flyweights, Tim Elliot of the United States and Matheus Nicolau of Brazil. Elliot is presently ranked in the top 10 and is hoping to retain his position, while Nicolau is aiming to steal it. Both fighters are known for having a fast pace and are looking to stand out in the Flyweight Division.
Tim Elliot Winning Odds
Tim Elliot is the most experienced fighter on the card and will be aiming for his 18th victory. After winning TUF 24 and earning the opportunity to fight for the flyweight title, this marks his second stint in the UFC. Elliot has won the previous two fights by decision, and the bulk of his victories have come by decision. He has also won plenty of fights by submission but has also lost fights by submission. Elliot’s best bet is to be aggressive and try for the decision.
Matheus Nicolau Odds
Matheus Nicolau is the underdog in this bout and hopes to break into the top ten. He has currently won six of his seven fights, the bulk of which he has won by decision. Nicolau is a well-rounded fighter who will seek to take the fight wherever it may lead him. He should aim to pick up the tempo and force a takedown to win via submission.
Sabina Mazo vs. Mariya Agapova Betting Odds
Following that, Sabina Mazo will face Mariya Agapova in another Flyweight bout. Sabina Mazo is returning to flyweight after beginning 2021 in bantamweight, while Maria Agapova is looking to bounce back after her last bout.
Sabina Mazo Winning Odds
Sabina Mazo is the favorite in this fight and is returning to Flyweight after losing at bantamweight earlier this year. Mazo debuted in the UFC in 2019 and has won three of her first five fights, including a victory over Shana Dobson. Mazo has outstanding striking and the potential to turn this bout into a slugfest.
Mariya Agapova Winning Odds
Mariya Agapova’s record is similar to Mazo’s, with nine victories and two defeats. After losing her contract on The Contender series, Agapova joined the UFC through Invicta, a women’s only combat promotion. She has one victory and one loss in the UFC, with her most recent loss coming by KO against Shana Dobson. She’s won the bulk of her fights by submission or KO/TKO. Therefore, Agapova will almost certainly attempt to end the fight via submission or KO/TKO.
Phil Hawes vs. Deron Winn Betting Odds
The opening bout on the event pits together two Middleweights Phil Hawes and Deron Winn. Since entering the UFC, Phil Hawes has looked excellent and is hoping to get into the top 15 rankings, while Winn has managed to keep his UFC career alive with a win in his most recent fight.
Phil Hawes Winning Odds
Phil Hawes has been on a roll, winning seven fights and earning his contract during his second appearance on The Contender series. Hawes is primarily known as a collegiate wrestler, but he has also improved his striking significantly. He is currently training at Sandford MMA, which is famous for producing numerous top-tier fighters. He’s won two fights by decision and one by KO since joining the UFC. Hawes is the bigger fighter in this matchup, and he should aim for a KO/TKO against Winn.
Deron Winn Winning Odds
Deron Winn is a collegiate wrestler who joined the renowned American Kickboxing Academy. He debuted in the UFC in 2019. However, his performances have been mixed. Although he’s small for the division, he makes up for it in brute strength. The bulk of his victories have come through TKO, but he focused heavily on wrestling in his last bout and could adopt the same strategy this weekend.
Dan Mendoza is a Vegas native who learned martial arts from the age of 10 - starting with Judo & Karate - moving to amateur boxing and later becoming a MMA coach and trainer. Dan covers UFC, Bellator, Boxing and other contact sports at Vegas-Odds.com
