UFC Vegas 26 - Fighter Previews

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Marina Rodriguez - #6 UFC Strawweight

(Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC.)

Marina Rodriguez is stepping into her first UFC Main Event on short notice this weekend. Her opponent, Michelle Waterson, is doing the same. This card was supposed to be headlined by the return of Former Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw vs Cory Sandhagen. Once Dillashaw had to pull out due to a cut sustained in training, the UFC scrambled for a new Main Event on 2 weeks notice. Instead of bumping one of the other fights on the card up to premiere status, the UFC made this booking between Rodriguez and Waterson. Some fans may sleep on this matchup, but Rodriguez deserves the spotlight. She is currently 3-1-2 in the octagon through her first 6 fights. A wonky record for sure, but not a terrible one. Marina has been on a rise through the division since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in August, 2018. Since the win, the UFC has thrown her directly into the fire at 115. She has faced Top 10 quality talent in all of her appearances so far. She holds wins over former Top 5 contenders Tecia Torres and Jessica Aguilar. Despite these wins, her most high profile fights have been controversial. Her two draws in the octagon have come against Randa Markos and Cynthia Calvillo. The Markos fight was another classic judging mistake and Marina should’ve walked out with the win. The Calvillo fight was a fair draw. Rodriguez lost the first two rounds, but dominated the 3rd for a 10-8. Since the draw and another controversial Split Decision loss to Carla Esparza, Marina has bounced back with a huge KO win over hot prospect Amanda Ribas. Now Rodriguez is looking to secure the biggest win of her career. Despite being one of the most unlucky fighters in the division, Marina could only be a win or two away from a Title Shot.

Michelle Waterson - #9 UFC Strawweight

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Michelle Waterson is a veteran of the UFC Strawweight division. “The Karate Hottie” has shared the cage with the who’s who of UFC Hall of Famers. Waterson will be making her 11th UFC Strawweight walk this weekend. She has been inside the octagon with Former Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Former Champion Carla Esparza, and Current Champion Rose Namajunas. Unfortunately for Michelle, she lost all three of those fights. She has been a mainstay of the Top 10 since entering the promotion, but has fallen into a gatekeeper role protecting the Top 5. A win over Waterson means a push is coming your way, just ask Rose and Joanna. With that being said, Michelle has done a solid job turning back contenders throughout the years. She is 6-4 in 10 UFC appearances with wins over Angela Hill, Paige VanZant, and Former Title Challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Her striking is lighting quick and her improving ground game is scary for any contender. Waterson is trying to make a second push in her career and prove she is still amongst the elite of the division. She has won 4 of her last 6 and looks poised to climb back into the Top 5. With the Strawweight division a bit clogged at the Top, Waterson is going to need to look impressive Saturday to get her name back into the Title Picture.

Donald Cerrone - #15 UFC Lightweight and Future UFC Hall of Famer

(Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC.)

If you consider yourself a UFC fan and you don’t know who “Cowboy” Cerrone is, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you only know Cowboy as the guy who lost to Conor, you should be ultra ashamed of yourself. Donald Cerrone is a certified G and future UFC Hall of Famer. He will move into a tie with Jim Miller for #1 All Time in UFC appearances on Saturday. This weekend’s walk will be the 37th time Cowboy has touched the octagon canvas in his career. He is the All-Time leader in UFC wins at 23, giving him a very respectable record of 23-12-1 since his debut February, 2011. He is a fan favorite who always brings the action to the cage. He is the All-Time leader in head kick KOs, the All-Time leader in finishes at 16, and the All-Time leader in Performance of the Night Awards with 18. He is a legend of the sport and still brings it every time out there. Cerrone has been one of the best Lightweights in the world for the past decade. He has challenged for the Lightweight Title twice throughout his UFC career. He holds wins over the previously mentioned Jim Miller, Matt Brown, Former Middleweight Title Challenger Patrick Cote, Former Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, and many more. As Cerrone’s age increased, his status as a true Title contender has faded, but that doesn’t mean he isn't still an elite fighter. He is currently on a 4 fight losing streak, but look at the names he's faced. The streak includes Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje, and Anthony Pettis. The first 3 men are all Top 5 in the world and the Pettis fight was an embracing decision. Everyone, including Pettis himself, thought Cowboy won the fight. Now, Cerrone is back at Welterweight to take on up and comer Alex Morono. Cerrone was initially scheduled to fight fellow UFC Hall of Famer Diego Sanchez, but concerns over Diego's mental health put a halt to the bout. Cerrone is a certified legend who always comes to scrap. I don’t care if this guy is 60, I’m gonna tune in to watch Cowboy throw down.

Alex Morono - Wishy Washy UFC Welterweight

(Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC.)

Alex Morono is stepping into one of the biggest fights of his career on just one week’s notice this weekend. As mentioned before, it was supposed to be The OG Ultimate Fighter Diego Sanchez in this spot. Instead, Alex gets a chance to score a massive win over a true veteran of the sport. Morono has been up and down since joining the UFC in January, 2016. He holds a record of 18-7 professionally and a record of 7-4-1 in the UFC. His wins have come over mid card talents like Zak Ottow, Max Griffin, and James Moontasri. But despite this, Morono isn’t considered a gatekeeper because his losses have also come to mid level talent. Losses to Jordan Mein and Khaos Williams have prevented “The Great White” from gaining traction within the division. If he can snatch a win from Cowboy, his profile wiLL skyrocket, especially in the Co-Main Event. A loss for Alex could permanently cement him amongst the mid card fighters he has beat up on over his run.

Neil Magny - #9 UFC Welterweight

(USA Today Sports)

Neil Magny is probably the best fighter on this card. It's either him or his opponent Geoff Neal. This fight is before the Co-Main, but is definitely the best fight on the card and holds the most weight amongst the division. Lets start with the first Neil. Neil Magny is very underappreciated amongst the elite of the Welterweight division. Since coming off Season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, Magny has cemented himself as a Top 10 talent. He is 17-7 inside the UFC octagon and is now known as one of the toughest veterans of the division. He is extremely long and lanky, making it hard for his opponents to find range. He is also a wizard in the clinch and ground game. His ability to smother fighters is what has gotten him to where he is today. Magny holds wins over Former Champions Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit, and Johny Hendricks. His struggles have come against strikers who push the pace on Magny. If Neil is able to dictate the fight and control the range, he is extremely difficult to beat. I still believe Magny to be an elite fighter in the Welterweight division. Another win this weekend could but Neil into another high profile fight at 170.

Geoff Neal - #10 UFC Welterweight

(Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC.)

Geoff Neal has looked like an absolute killer since securing a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Since appearing on the show, Neal has showed himself to be one of the best fighters to come out of it so far. He has massive power in his hands and legs and isn’t afraid to throw every weapon possible. In his short time in the UFC, he has already racked up a serious list of victories. In just 6 fights, Geoff is 5-1 with finishes over Mike Perry and Niko Price. He also holds a Unanimous Decision win over currently #12 Welterweight Belal Muhammad. His head kick win over Perry is his best performance to date and the reason he was awarded a headlining shot against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Despite looking good early, Thompson was too much and handed Neal his first UFC loss. A loss to Wonderboy is nothing to scoff at though. Thompson is a UFC Hall of Fame caliber fighter who currently ranks #4 in the division. Geoff will most likely develop into that caliber of fighter, but he may have reached the Top 5 too early. This fight with Magny will be a great barometer for his current skills. If his power and striking can control the fight, Neal could be looking at another impressive victory and another shot at the Top 5.

Maurice “The Crochet Boss” Greene - UFC Heavyweight with All-Time Nickname

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The Crochet Boss is back! Maurice Greene will step into the octagon for the 8th time this weekend when he takes on Marcos Rogerio de Lima. Greene has been a fringe Top 15 contender since his time on Season 28 of The Ultimate Fighter. Wins over guys like Jeff Hughes, Junior Albini, and Gian Villante have kept Greene in the mix, but his losses and inconsistency have kept him from breaking into the Heavyweight rankings. Since starting his post-TUF career strong, Greene has now dropped 3 of his last 4. Because of his success, he was matched up with Top 15 caliber fighters. And because of his matchups, the success faded. Losses to Sergey Pavlovich, Aleksei Oleinik, and most recently Greg Hardy, have halted his potential. Now Greene is fighting to show what’s left in the tank. A win this weekend could keep him alive for a spot in the rankings, a loss could mean a lot more free time to crochet some beanies.

Marcos Rogerio de Lima - UFC Heavyweight Veteran

(Zuffa LLC.)

Marcos Rogerio de Lima has had a pretty run of the mill UFC career thus far. He is 6-5 in the promotion since debuting in 2014. Marcos has shown elite grappling, especially for the Heavyweight division. His problem is his inconsistency. He has swapped wins and losses back and forth since August 2015. The last time he won 2 in a row was in 2014 in his first two UFC bouts. Since then he has followed losses to real contenders with wins over mid card talent. Rogerio de Lima has marked himself as a certified gatekeeper for the Top 15. Strangely, neither one of these men, Marcos or Greene, are up and coming. This bout is going to determine who is the better gatekeeper, and honestly, I’m fine with that. There can only be so many in each division. Marcos needs to find a way to string together a couple wins. If he continues to go back and forth, he might be getting a call from PFL or Bellator shortly.

Diego Ferreira - #12 UFC Lightweight

(ufc.com)

Diego Ferreira’s run has been very similar to Neil Magny's. Ferreira is a UFC veteran who is just now getting his shine amongst the elite. He is 8-3 in the UFC with losses to only the elite of the division. The Ls Diego have taken have come from Beniel Dariush twice, and Dustin Poirier. So basically, a Top 5 caliber fighter has his number and the current best Lightweight in the world beat him 6 years ago. That’s literally it. Besides those two losses, Diego has been dominant. Following the Poirier loss, Ferreira went on a 6 fight winning streak. His wins included stoppages of Kyle Nelson and Former Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis. The Pettis fight was a domination and the best victory on his resume. Despite Ferreira's impressive record and fighting style, it has been his inactivity that has halted a real push towards the Title. Injuries and a steroid suspension have left a bad taste in the mouths of fans. But no matter how you feel about Diego, he has proven himself to be an absolute problem at 155. If he can continue to run through opponents, he could easily find himself in there with the elite. I believe he belongs in the mix at the top of the division, it is now up to him to get back on the fans' good side and prove me right.

Gregor Gillespie - #14 UFC Lightweight and Self-Proclaimed Best Fisherman in the UFC

(Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports)

Gregor Gillespie has shown himself to be one of the better prospects in the Lightweight division, but like Ferreira, his inactivity has bitten him. Gillespie started out his UFC run as an active fighter. He stepped into the octagon 6 times over the course of 2 and a half years since debuting in late 2016. He went 6-0 with his relentless wrestling and absurd strength. Opponent have gushed about how unexpectedly strong Gillespie is and how he can control almost any fight he is in. His 6-0 run to start his UFC career included 5 finishes and wins over UFC veterans Vinc Pichel and Yancy Medeiros. Gregor looked like he was poised to rise through the Top 10. This was until he faced his highest profile fighter to date, Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee. It was a classic striker vs grappler matchup that saw Lee attempt to control the distance with outside striking. Despite Gregor’s attempt to make it a dog fight, Lee scored an All-Time highlight reel head kick KO. It was the first loss of Gregor professional career and we haven’t seen him back in the octagon since. For reference, that fight was in November, 2019. This will be Gillespie’s first time back and his first time fighting with no fans. He was supposed to fight Brad Riddell a month and a half ago, but the fight was cancelled due to Covid concerns with Riddell’s cornermen. If Gregor can get back to his mauling style, he is still one of the strongest fighters in the division and an unrelenting force. A win could get him back on the meteoric rise that kicked off his UFC run.

Amanda Ribas - #11 UFC Strawweight

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Amanda Ribas is incredibly fun to watch! She is smiling all fight week and is visibly enjoying the process of every fight. She may come across as a small, nice women, but she is an absolute killer inside the octagon. Ribas is 10-2 professionally and 4-1 inside the octagon. She started off her UFC career in very impressive fashion, dominating her first 4 appearances. Wins over Paige VanZant, Randa Markos, and Mackenzie Dern showed Ribas to be an elite fighter at 115. The Dern fight was easily her best performance. Dern went into the octagon as one of the most hyped female prospects of all time. Ribas heard none of it and cruised to a Unanimous Decision victory. Dana White was in love with Ribas before her most recent fight against headliner Marina Rodriguez. Dana was hyping Ribas up as the next big thing in the division and a future Title Challenger. Unfortunately for Ribas and Uncle Dana, it would actually be a coming out party for her opponent. Ribas was finished with a nasty right hand in the 2nd Round. Now she will look to bounce back against Angela Hill. Amanda is still young and has all the potential in the world. A win Saturday, and the hype her name still carries, could be enough to get her another crack at the top of the division.

Angela Hill - #12 UFC Strawweight

(ufc.com)

Angela Hill is a pioneer for Women’s MMA. She is the first ever African American woman to be signed by the UFC and the first to headline a UFC card. Over the course of her UFC career, she has shown herself to be a Top 5 talent who is always game. Despite her ranking at #12, I believe Hill is much better than that. Since winning a Championship in Invicta and returning to the UFC, she is 7-7. A .500 record may seem mediocre, but her losses have come to the cream of the crop at 115. Since 2019, her only losses are as follows; a close loss to #3 Yan Xiaonan, a Split Decision that she definitely should’ve won against Former Title Challenger Claudia Gadelha, and another Split Decision she could’ve been awarded against headliner Michelle Waterson. Hill is 2 judges away from being inside the Top 5 of the division right now. The Waterson decision and the Gadelha decision are examples of what bad judging can do to momentum. Since then, Hill has bounced back with a dominant win over Ashley Yoder. Now Angela is looking to right some wrongs within the division. Many, including me, see her as a real Title Contender. If she can get though Ribas, another big fight should be around the corner for “Overkill.”