It’s been a while since either Mike Rodriguez or Marcin Prachnio have had their hand raised. For Rodriguez (10-4, 1NC), it was December 2018, when he defeated Adam Milstead. Since then, he’s lost one bout, and found himself in a no contest against John Allan.
Prachnio enters the pair’s UFC Vegas 7 fight still looking for his first UFC win. The former ONE Championship standout lost his first two UFC bouts, and hasn’t competed since 2018.
With that in mind, Rodriguez told Cageside Press that he’s expecting a dangerous opponent come Saturday.
“I do think he’s going to be more reckless and more dangerous, because of his situation,” Rodriguez said during a virtual media day session. “I feel like I’m in kind of the same boat as he is too.”
“In terms of the layoff, I’m assuming, I’m going to be optimistic, that he’s clearly grown within the two years,” Rodriguez added. “I hope he hasn’t taken the two years just kicking his feet back. Hopefully he’s been growing and working. So I’m expecting a different fighter from his last fight.”
The danger Prachnio brings to the table, Rodriguez explained, is his style.
“He has that unique karate style, kind of like a [Lyoto] Machida thing. Like point karate, darts in, darts out, things of that nature,” he said. “That’s the big threat that he brings.”
Rodriguez actually prepared with a friend who had competed in karate. Including, he believes, at one point against Prachnio.
The other wrinkle in the bout is the pandemic, and increased safety protocols. Those don’t seem to bother Rodriguez however. “I just adapt to it,” he stated. “I’ve heard guys being like ‘aww it’s a pain in the ass,’ blah blah blah. Just go with the flow. It’s easier if you just listen to what you’re being told to do, and just do it, and it’ll be an easy process. Versus just trying to be a pain in the ass. That’s how I’ve been dealing with it.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 7 virtual media day press scrum with Mike Rodriguez above. The event takes place Saturday, August 22 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
