Consider this a sign of how hot a prospect Austin Bashi is: the UFC booked his debut on the UFC Vegas 101 main card, against noted “prospect killer” Christian Rodriguez.
Bashi, an undefeated featherweight talent, has long been on the radar of prospect watchers in MMA. Rodriguez, a.k.a. “CeeRod,” had been the bump in the road for names like Raul Rosas Jr. and Cameron Saaiman.
While a loss at UFC Vegas 101 wouldn’t derail Bashi’s career, his performance might be the deciding factor in whether he took the fast track, or slow road, to start in UFC career.
The fight opened with Rodriguez stunning Bashi with a knee during an exchange. Although shaken, Bashi recovered quickly and shot for a takedown. Rodriguez rolled with the attempt and scrambled back to his feet, but Bashi remained relentless in his pursuit of takedowns. His aggression, however, left his neck exposed, giving Rodriguez an opportunity to threaten with a guillotine. He didn’t have it. Back in open space, Rodriguez caught a kick from Bashi and dumped him to the mat, but Bashi was quick to return to his feet and initiate another takedown attempt. Rodriguez defended well but briefly turned away, allowing Bashi to leap onto his back.
Despite the precarious position, Rodriguez stayed composed, maintaining excellent defense until Bashi abandoned the effort. Breaking free from the clinch, Rodriguez launched a flurry of strikes, showing his high output. However, his overzealous approach left him vulnerable, and Bashi capitalized with another takedown. Even then, Rodriguez quickly reversed the position, sweeping Bashi and regaining top control before returning to his feet as the round ended.
To start round two, Austin Bashi was advancing. He was missing on the punches but would throw into a single leg. He was never able to fully get Rodriguez down but the initial shot saw him complete it. Rodriguez, never complacent, moved to his knees then to his feet but with Bashi backpacked. Once again, Bashi didn’t have the best position and would give it soon enough. Right away Bashi went back to the takedown. As Rodriguez continued to stop the initial takedown he was having trouble fending off Bashi’s chain wrestling. Bashi attempted to take his back but Rodriguez slipped away and got back to his feet. Needing to get some momentum Rodriguez was landing some good blows, but Bashi slowed the pace down until the bell.
In the final round, Bashi landed a front kick that transitioned smoothly into a takedown attempt. Although it was a well-executed sequence, Rodriguez defended effectively. Despite Rodriguez’s strong defense, Bashi maintained a relentless pace, constantly pressuring forward. However, at times, his aggression backfired, as Rodriguez proved to be the better scrambler. In one exchange, Bashi wound up on his back, attempting a kimura, but used the cage to work his way back up. On the feet, Rodriguez showcased his superior striking, landing crisp combinations and well-timed knees that connected cleanly. However, Bashi’s grinding style kept Rodriguez from fully capitalizing on his striking advantage. As the fight wore on, Bashi’s cardio began to fade, and his takedown attempts became more telegraphed. Rodriguez finished the fight strong, adding a touch of showmanship in the final moments, closing out an entertaining third round.
Come the scorecard, it was no surprise to see Christian Rodriguez announced the winner. Bashi, served up the first loss of his pro MMA career, will learn plenty from the experience however.
Official Result: Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
