The opening bout of the UFC Vegas 18 main card saw Danilo Marques score an upset submission victory over Mike Rodriguez.
When is a loss not a loss? When it’s Mike Rodriguez, whose last fight ended under the strangest of circumstances. “Slow” had Ed Herman down and out following a crushing knee last year. But Herman appeared to play it off as a groin strike, and the referee agreed, although replays showed only legal blows. Herman would come back to win the bout by submission in the third, but both Mike Rodriguez and the UFC have treated the fight as a win for Rodriguez. And so on Saturday at UFC Vegas 18, he was looking to extend an unofficial winning streak to three against Danilo Marques.
The two light heavyweights met in the octagon and immediately exchanged kicks, however, Marques quickly got a takedown. Rodriguez did a good job of fighting his way back to his feet, but Marques was still tight on him in the clinch. Soon Marques got his second takedown of the bout and deftly tied up the legs of Rodriguez on the mat. Rodriguez made his way back to his feet, but Marques once again got the takedown near the cage. Finally, with twenty seconds left in the round, Rodriguez blasted free and landed two shots to the body before the horn sounded.
Rodriguez opened up quickly in round two with some kicks to the knees of Marques. He was clearly a bit winded from the previous round but was still being active early. However soon Rodriguez was down again after Marques got a big takedown and moved to mount. Marques then transitioned to the back and locked a rear-naked-choke in deep. As time was running out in the round, Marques put the squeeze on and put Rodriguez out cold in the final seconds.
Chased the neck… GOT THE NECK 🐍
🇧🇷 @Danilo_Marquesc secures the finish in RD 2!
[ #UFCVegas18 – LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/bsbgJVoMXp
— UFC (@ufc) February 7, 2021
Official Result: Danilo Marques def. Mike Rodriguez by technical submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:52
