Bantamweights
Christian Rodriguez (7-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Joshua Weems (11-2, 0-0 UFC)ODDS: Rodriguez (-310), Weems (+260)
Two 2021 Dana White’s Contender Series graduates lock horns in this intriguing encounter. Rodriguez put on a solid performance in his October win over Reyes Cortez, but any hopes of him earning a contract was immediately sunk when he missed weight the day before. Still, for a young and unproven prospect, three rounds of consistent work served as a valuable showing, enough so that with one more regional win, “CeeRod” got the call in February to step in for a late-notice debut. It was a tough ask, as Rodriguez moved up to featherweight as a sizable underdog against Jonathan Pearce. However, he managed to put together a solid account of himself in a fight was far from his preferred affair, as Pearce stifled most of Rodriguez’s offense to force him into a wrestling match. A victory would be nice, so Rodriguez looks to get back to his winning ways against a last-minute replacement and UFC newcomer. Weems looked solid enough in his own fight on DWCS, or at least as much as he could given the result, as Fernando Garcia found a knockout in a shade over two minutes. “Wide Open” rebounded well enough with two straight wins to earn this UFC shot, including a submission victory over the much more highly touted Mo Miller in June. Weems has an interesting mix of skills as a mobile striker who can hold his own on the mat, but given how his fight with Garcia went, it is hard to pick him against the consistent power Rodriguez brings to the table. The pick is Rodriguez via first-round knockout.