Marina Rodriguez was originally set to face Alexa Grasso at UFC Philadelphia, but Aguilar has replaced Grasso. Rodriguez won by first-round knockout on Dana White’s Tuesday Contender Series last year to improve her record to 10-0, earning her a UFC contract. In her promotional debut, she fought to a draw with Randa Markos, which took place last September.

Jessica Aguilar was one of the premier strawweights in the world prior to her time in the UFC. She owned a 19-4 record and defended her WSOF title twice with her last defense coming against current UFC fighter Kalindra Faria. She also holds notable victories over Megumi Fujii and Carla Esparza. She is 1-3 in the Octagon, falling to top-10 fighters Weili Zhang and Claudia Gadelha.

Eye poke right off the bat as Rodriguez gets her thumb in Aguilar’s eye. The Mexican veteran pressures as action resumes but pays the price getting clipped rushing in with blood pouring out her nose. Still, she manages to take it to the mat and goes for a submission attempt while being slammed on her head multiple times, persevering through to transition to an armbar. Aguilar is able to survive showing off incredible flexibility. The referee is forced to break them up as they were in a stalemate. Another eye poke from Rodriguez and she immediately gets a point taken away. Both fighters throw right hands but Rodriguez lands harder and drops Aguilar as the round ends.

Cageside Press Scored the First Round 9-9 

Rodriguez picked up where she left off in the second with a beautiful teep to right-hand combo. Her length really started to show as the lanky fighter is able to counter every time her opponent comes inside. From the Thai clinch, Aguilar eats multiple knees and now Rodriguez smells blood and comes after her throwing the kitchen sink mixing in punches elbows teeps and knees to the body. Aguilar shows off her toughness, surviving the round.

Cageside Press Scored the Second Round 10-8 Rodriguez

Aguilar attempts to find a home for the overhand right in the third while eating huge shots. Using the Thai clinch multiple times, Rodriguez does damage while keeping her opponent at distance with teep kicks to the body. She’s able to comfortably coast to a decision win, applying constant pressure until the final bell.

Cageside Press Scored the Third Round 10-9 Rodriguez (29-26 Rodriguez)

Marina Rodriguez def. Jessica Aguilar by Unanimous Decision (29-26, 29-27 x2)

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Des Green was once a Titan FC featherweight champion but is now committed to the lightweight division after the weight-cuts did damage to his gas tank. Green is 2-3 in the UFC with wins over Josh Emmett and Gleison Tibau. Two of those losses, though, were in fights where his opponent missed weight by five pounds. He’ll be looking to recover from one of those, a loss against a heavy Mairbek Taisumov, at UFC Philadelphia.

Ross Pearson has been in the UFC for 10 years since winning the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He holds an even 12-12 record in the Octagon and has lost five of his last six fights. The British striker holds notable victories over Paul Felder and Gray Maynard in his long career. He’ll be looking to bounce back from a Fight of the Night loss to John Makdessi in his last appearance.

A bit of a feeling out process in the first minute with both fighters throwing leg kicks and gauging the distance. Pearson lunges in and gets caught with a counter right hook that sits him on his butt. Green times the level change from the British veteran and lands a knee to ward off the takedown attempt. Green shoots in for his own takedown, a single leg, and transitions to a double leg. The Predator immediately started throwing aggressive ground and pound strikes with little resistance, leaving the ref no choice but to step in and stop the fight. Pearson looked to be more focused on standing up than defending himself.

Green capitalized on the big moment by asking for a spot on UFC Rochester, saying he’d fight in his hometown for free.

Desmond Green def. Ross Pearson by TKO (Punches) in Round 1 (2:52)

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Kevin Holland was 12-3 in his career and on a three-fight win streak when he won on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Unfortunately, his prize was a promotional debut against knockout machine Thiago Santos at UFC 227. Holland lasted all 15 minutes but took the loss, then recovered with a third-round rear-naked choke finish in his last fight.

Gerald Meerschaert was an experienced 25-8 with 23 stoppages when he made his UFC debut on short notice. He kept that run going with an anaconda choke in his promotional debut followed by an armbar victory. He is 2-2 since then, with two stoppages and losses to Thiago Santos and Jack Hermansson.

Both fighters opened the match exchanging kicks before Meerschaet quickly shot in for a takedown with Holland going for a guillotine that sunk in deep. Meerschaert’s face was turning red before being able to break free and a scramble ensued with Meeerschaert now looking for his own deep guillotine. He wound up on his back with Holland twisting around trying to escape. Briefly, they got back to their feet but right back to scrambling and dueling guillotine attempts the round ending with Holland landing some solid ground and pound.

Opening the second round, Holland lands a solid overhand right but gets overly aggressive leaving Meerschaert able to land the takedown. Getting back to their feet with both fighters looking completely gassed, Meerschaert pulls guard and somehow winds up in top control. Scrambling all over the mat once again, Holland ends the round landing ground and pound.

Lots of hard breathing in the third. Holland drops his opponent with a leg kick and takes his back with little resistance, tossing him to the mat against the cage. Amazingly, Holland allows Meerschaert to get another submission attempt in and continues grappling with him. The fight ends pretty anti-climatically with the fighters clinched against the cage and struggling to the final bell.

Kevin Holland def. Gerald Meerschaert by Split Decision (29-27, 28-29, 30-27)

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