Roman Dolidze

Anthony Hernandez dragged Roman Dolidze into deep waters and submitted him in the fourth round of their main event on Saturday. Dolidze entered the fight ranked at #9 at 185lbs, while Hernandez was ranked at #10. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Dolidze that saw him beating the likes of Anthony Smith, Kevin Holland and Marvin Vettori from June 2024 to earlier this year in March.  This loss will likely drop Roman out of the top 10 but he’ll likely remain ranked.

A good next matchup for Dolidze would be against the loser of Jared Cannonier vs Michael Page. Offering Dolidze another fresh matchup is a good idea, and this would fit the bill (No Vettori III matchup). Cannonier is currently the #8 ranked middleweight while MVP is ranked at #15 at welterweight and unranked at middleweight. This fight goes down on UFC 319 on August 16 so the timing would be fine. If Cannonier loses he will have lost three of his last four, while Page would be 2-2 in the UFC. Dolidze was matched against Jared back in 2023, but Cannonier withdrew due to a torn MCL (knee injury). Either fighter would offer an exciting striking match for fans. Winner of this bout would be ranked within the top 10.

Doldize’s next fight: Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page Loser

Ode Osbourne

Steve Erceg defeated Ode Osbourne via unanimous decision on Saturday, in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 109. Erceg entered the fight ranked at #10 in the division while Ode was unranked. While it’s worth noting that Osbourne was not Erceg’s original opponent (Alex Perez, injured- Hyun Sung Park, rebooked) the loss still puts him in a somewhat precarious position.

Osbourne has now lost four of his last five fights dating to early 2023. His only win during this time period was against an undefeated Contender Series product making his debut, Luis Gurule.

With that said, Ode’s next fight should be against Carlos Hernandez. Carlos is a 2021 Contender Series alum that is currently 3-4 with the UFC. Carlos has lost three of his last four fights dating back to December 2023 but against good competition (Tatsuro Taira, Rei Tsuruya and Hyun Sung Park) Osbourne and Hernandez have hovered at around the same level within the division for a couple years-and they have both lost to high level competition. It’d be a great matchup for that reason. Two Contender Series vets that have yet to secure that big win against elite competition. Loser of this bout could be in a rough place with the winner gaining a lot of visibility.

Osbourne’s next fight: Carlos Hernandez 

Angela Hill

Iasmin Lucindo outfought Angela Hill on her way to a unanimous decision victory on Saturday. Lucindo entered the cage Saturday ranked at #8 in the women’s strawweight division while Hill was ranked at #12. Hill is 13-15 during her now 11-year stint with the promotion. She’s 2-3 in her last five fights since November of 2023. If you can believe it, Hill turned 40 earlier this year- she’s still a competitor with her last three losses coming to the very respectable, ranked, opponents of Mackenzie Dern, Tabatha Ricci and Iasmin Lucindo.

Angela’s next fight should be against Denise Gomes. Even though the pair shared the octagon less than two years ago, both fighters have had trajectories where it makes sense to meet again.

Denise is undefeated in the UFC since her fight with Angela. She beat an undefeated Eduarda Moura via split decision and veteran Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision last year. Gomes also finished Elise Reed early in the second round back in mid-May. Considering Hill has fought virtually everyone, and that she likely to remain in the rankings after this fight, this is a matchup that makes sense. Denise is ranked at #15 in the division. This fight could sneak onto the main card of a decent Fight Night card. Loser would be out of the rankings.

Hill’s next fight: Denise Gomes rematch 

Christian Rodriguez

Andre Fili and Christian Rodriguez put on a good scrap on Saturday, but Fili edged out ‘CeeRod’ on the scorecards, securing a split decision victory.

Rodriguez is now on a two-fight skid and has lost three of his last four fights dating back to July of last year. Christian’s only win in that time period came against an undefeated 2024 Contender Series alum making his UFC debut (Austin Bashi).

Rodriguez who has broken the hearts of multiple hot prospects (Raul Rosas Jr, Cameron Saaiman and Austin Bashi) is still trying to carve out a path for himself at 145lbs. after struggling with the cut down to 135lbs. It’s been 5-fights since Rodriguez moved up so hopefully, he can start to put it together.

The next opponent for Rodriguez should be Shayilan Nuerdabiekke. Shayilan is just 3-3 in the UFC but is 39-12 as a pro. Shayilan is also on a two-fight skid. He was last in the octagon in June of last year when he was submitted in the final round by Melquizael Costa. Melquizael also holds a unanimous decision victory over Rodriguez from when the pair fought in March. These two fighters are right on the same level and hopefully Nuerdanbiekke could be ready whenever for the timing to matchup. Easy sleep fight for a feature preliminary bout or first fight on the main card of a fight night.

Rodriguez’s next fight: Shayilan Nuerdanbiekke

Miles Johns

Jean Matsumoto snagged a split decision victory over Miles Johns in a hard fought three rounder on Saturday. With the loss Miles is now on a two-fight losing streak. Before that, he was on a four-fight unbeaten streak.

The move for Miles here is to revisit his previously cancelled matchup with the former UFC Bantamweight Champion, Cody Garbrandt. Lots of visibility and a huge upside in that matchup for Miles. The two were scheduled to fight back in October and then November of last year. Fight was ultimately cancelled after Garbrandt suffered an injury. Since then, Garbrandt has lost a unanimous decision to Ranoi Barcelos, back in mid-June. Timing could make sense especially as Cody has been taking more time between fights recently. Easy one to book on the main card of a fight night between these two dangerous bantamweights. Winner wouldn’t be but a win or two away from fighting for a ranking.

Johns’ next fight: Cody Garbrandt

Eyrk Anders

Christian Leroy Duncan kicked off the main card of UFC Vegas 109 with a spectacular spinning elbow finish of Eryk Anders. 38-year-old Anders has now gone 2-2 in his last four fights since June of 2023. Both of his victories during the time period are against fighters who are no longer with the promotion (Chris Weidman and Jamie Pickett).

With that being said, Anders is in a little bit of a hot seat but with the wild state of the UFC’s middleweight division, truly anything is possible. A good next matchup for Anders would be against Andrey Pulyaev. Andrey is a 27-year-old prospect off last year’s season of the Contender Series. Pulyaev made his UFC debut in March against ‘CLD’ and lost a unanimous decision. In August Andrey stopped Nick Klein in the second with a body kick and punches. Eryk would be even more of a litmus test for the 10-3, 6’4″, Russian. A different look. This could also be a good fight for Eyrk for where he’s at in his career currently; to prove he’s still got it.

Anders’ next fight: Andrey Pulyaev

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“Touchy” Fili had been trading wins and losses back to 2022 and was coming off a loss to Melquizael Costa; “Cee-Rod” had, in something of an unlikely coincidence, also lost to Costa in his last outing.

The first round saw both fighters exchange low leg kicks, as Rodriguez pressed Fili to the fence looking to land a massive overhand. The fighters entered the clinch as Rodriguez controlled Fili against the cage momentarily. As each returned to the center of the cage, Fili seemed hesitant to throw. Rodriguez landed a good low leg kick and followed it up with a fast jab upstairs. Fili threw a powerful left hook that didn’t find a home, as Rodriguez landed a kick to the legs.

Shortly after, Fili caught Rodriguez clean with the same counter left hook he missed moments earlier, rocking Rodriguez and forcing him to retreat. Rodriguez weathered the storm, and seemed to be recovered with a minute left in the round. Fili was darting in and out of range landing jabs and leg kicks, climbing back into the fight in terms of significant strikes. In a hope to change the momentum in the fight, Rodriguez landed a takedown against the fence with twenty seconds left.

A back and forth first round could have gone either way as this entertaining contest entered the second. Rodriguez threw back to back left hands that narrowly missed, as Fili partially connected with a head kick upstairs. Moments later Rodriguez was able grab a leg, but Fili defended well against the takedown.

Both fighters started to throw caution to the wind and exchange on the massive blows on the inside. Rodriguez forced the fight into the clinch, but Fili was able to separate and land a clean left hand counter. Fili seemed to be pulling away in the second round finding a home for his jab. A quality knee landed from Rodriguez in the clinch with five seconds left. Another close round saw Fili narrowly ahead on total strikes.

In the third, Rodriguez threw a jab and entered into the clinch. Forcing the fight to the fence Rodriguez looked for a takedown, landing knees to the leg of Fili. After separating Rodriguez landed a head kick but was drug to the ground by Fili giving up a massive takedown. Moving to he back of Rodriguez, Fili was quickly transitioning to a dominant position. Rodriguez was able to escape moments later, as both exchanged big shots in the center of the cage. After eating a big elbow, Fili landed another takedown presumably securing a victory. With a minute left in the fight Rodriguez scrambled up, eating a body kick on his way up. Each fighter stood and traded big shots as the final horn sounded. Fili should have earned himself a massive victory as a betting underdog.

After three rounds, the judges were split again. This time favoring Andre Fili. No clue how this fight could have been scored for Rodriguez, but at least the right fighter won the contest. Fili and Daniel Cormier stated they were surprised with the split decision but Fili gave credit to his opponent Christian Rodriguez, and humbly gave credit to his teammates and coaches as well.

Official Result: Andre Fili def. Christian Rodriguez by split decision (30–27, 29–28, 28–29)

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If by ‘locked and loaded’ you mean a diaper bag, baby toys, and his infant son.

“I moved to Vegas about a year-and-a-half ago so I get to be a dad during fight week. It’s good for the soul,” Fili told reporters on Wednesday.

“I get to wake up in my own bed, make breakfast with my wife and son, and yeah it’s been amazing.”

Fili (24-12) sees fatherhood as a super power. Having a family to provide for and a son to raise has put his fighting career into perspective. No longer is life all about fighting, if anything, life is about the balancing act between fighter and father.

“It’s like a superpower man, you know? I feel like I wish I did this 10 years ago it’s crazy. The drive, the motivation and just the gratitude of these little moments. One day we’ll be able to look back at this picture. There’s just a lot of cool moments this week,” he said.

“Huge motivating factor for me. It’s the first time in my life that something’s cooler than fighting. My whole life since I was 14, that’s 20 years, since I first saw the UFC. Fighting’s been the coolest thing in the world to me, and now it’s the second coolest thing and he’s the first.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Andre Fili above. He takes on Christian Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 109 on Saturday night.

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At age 28, Costa had 29 fights to his name and was entering his 30th at UFC Mexico City, with “CeeRod” a year younger, with nearly half as many pro fights.

To start things off on Saturday, Rodriguez immediately pushed Costa to the fence. The Brazilian momentarily tripped Rodriguez with a teep to the leg, but CeeRod got right back up and forced a clinch. An outside trip from Rodriguez got Costa down, but only for a few seconds. Once back in the clinch, they exchanged knees to the body for about a minute before Costa tried a trip of his own. With both of them having an underhook in the clinch, they were stuck in somewhat of a stalemate.

Despite very little happening in the clinch, the referee didn’t warn them a single time for a lack of activity. Out of nowhere, Rodriguez successfully tripped Costa and snagged a guillotine as the Brazilian was getting back up. Costa reversed the position and ended the round on top. With the submission attempt being by far the most important part of the first five minutes, the mostly uneventful round probably went the American’s way.

At the start of round two, Rodriguez landed a leaping right hand as he pushed Costa back and forces a clinch yet again. This time, Costa didn’t accept the clinch and fought it off. Another blitz from CeeRod ended with him diving on Costa’s leg, but the Brazilian fended him off. A beautifully timed outside trip from Rodriguez sent Costa flying in the air, but he was unable to keep Costa down. A big knee to the head from Costa stunned CeeRod and Costa started to pounce. With Rodriguez trying to survive, Costa locked a modified guillotine attempt, but the American was able to reverse. Costa followed it up with a reversal of his own and ended the round on top. The second round ended with the fight seemingly tied 19-19.

Immediate pressure from CeeRod started round three and allowed him to trip Costa to the ground once again. Costa eventually reversed the position and they got back to the feet. Rodriguez landed a big right hand on the break and tripped Costa again. Once back up, the Brazilian answered with a solid left. Rodriguez tried to get Costa’s back after another trip, but he was unsuccessful. The two then started to exchange big elbows. A clean right hand had Costa moving away and the two stood in the middle of the octagon for the first time in the fight. Another successful trip from CeeRod got Costa down. The exhaustion appeared to finally set in, as this time, the Brazilian stayed down. With Rodriguez taking round three, this fight came down to how the judges saw round one.

Ultimately, the judges all saw it 29-28 for Melquizael Costa. With this hard-fought win, the Brazilian extended his win streak to three. As for Rodriguez, he will look to bounce back from his third career loss, perhaps against another undefeated prospect.

Official Result: Melquizael Costa def. Christian Rodriguez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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“It’s been pretty surreal. This is a really, really big opportunity for me. Fighting twice in three months is also another big opportunity for me, but yeah this means everything to me,” Rodriguez told reporters on Wednesday.

“My parents they came from Mexico. They came to the states with nothing. They came out of age 14, 13, and I feel like this is my time to represent them. Without them I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Rodriguez (12-2) was not turning down a spot on the Mexico City card. He’d been asking for it and speaking with the media about it for a long time even mentioning to Cageside Press at the UFC APEX in January.

 

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Now it’s real for Rodriguez.

“I’ve been trying to get on this card since January after I fought Austin Bashi. I got on the mic I said it in Spanish. I was like I’m trying to fight here in Mexico. It went kind of quiet for a bit. They offered me an opponent, it didn’t go through, and then I was like damn,” he said.

“Then two days later I got Costa and then he signed within like two hours. I’m blessed.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Christian Rodriguez above. He takes on Melquizael Costa at UFC Mexico on Saturday night.

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Mackenzie Dern

This was such a big win for Dern. It was her first time winning consecutive fights in over four years and her first finish since April of 2021. She could only manage a 1-1 record every year since 2021. Not only that, but this win also saw her avenge her first ever professional loss against Ribas, who was 6-1 in the UFC at 115 lbs.

With Tatiana Suarez set to get the next shot and Virna Jandiroba seemingly next in line, Dern will need to add to her win streak in order to cement herself as the next title contender. Suarez has had trouble staying healthy for a while, so you would think that the promotion has told Jandiroba to stay ready in case they need a backup. That frees up Yan Xiaonan who is ranked #2 and is also in need of another win to stay in the title picture.

The two have fought before and Yan got the nod, but it was a contested majority decision that a lot of people thought should have been a draw. A rematch at this point is a very solid option.

Dern’s next fight: Yan Xiaonan

Santiago Ponzinibbio

Ponzinibbio was once a highly ranked contender with a lot of promise, but he unfortunately lost over two full years of his prime due to health concerns. Now that he’s 38, it’s been evident for some time that his best is behind him. This win over Carlston Harris in the UFC Vegas 101 co-main event keeps him active and stops what could have been a three-fight skid, but the matchmaking should be done with his decreasing level in mind.

Fellow 38-year-old Daniel Rodriguez was once ranked as well and though he stopped his losing streak this past October, it has also been clear that he has lost a step. A matchup between the two of them is age and level appropriate.

Ponzinibbio’s next fight: Daniel Rodriguez

Cesar Almeida

When Armen Petrosyan lost to Shara Magomedov at UFC 308, I had him fight the winner of this fight between Almeida and Abdul Razak Alhassan in our matchmaking article. However, he’s since been booked against Brunno Ferreira on March 8.

At 36 years of age, Almeida has made it a point to be active, knowing the clock is ticking. He fought three times in 2024, going 2-1 with the only hiccup being a competitive split decision against Roman Kopylov, a very good middleweight who will we talk about shortly. Rodolfo Vieira and Andre Petroski will fight each other in a month. The winner will be on a three-fight win streak and a matchup with Almeida would make sense. But I’m willing to give Almeida a bigger push than that. At 36, let’s see what he’s really got. Let’s see him fight the winner of Kevin Holland and Reinier de Ridder, who are set to face each other next week. If Almeida can pass that type of test, then he’ll be ready for the rankings.

Almeida’s next fight: Winner of Holland/de Ridder

Roman Kopylov

Kopylov is a 33-year-old contender who is really coming into his own. Since dropping back-to-back fights against Karl Roberson and Albert Duraev, he’s 6-1 with the only loss coming against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez who is a serious threat at 185 lbs. Even though they weren’t flawless victories, Cesar Almeida and Chris Curtis are quality wins. He also has a knockout over Punahele Soriano, who fought and won on this card.

In my opinion, those are valid reasons to give Kopylov a ranked opponent in his next fight. The Russian isn’t an inactive fighter by any means, but he’s also no stranger to layoffs of 6 months or more. This type of timeline should align with Michel Pereira’s return, who took a beating back in October.

Kopylov’s next fight: Michel Pereira

Christian Rodriguez

Rodriguez’s last four wins all came against undefeated fighters. The weight misses and the submission loss to Julian Erosa have slowed down his momentum, but at still just 27 years of age, the UFC clearly has something in C-Rod. Often times, going 4-1 with all four wins being 0’s taken and the lone loss coming against a veteran like Erosa would mean that Rodriguez would be getting a big push by the promotion. However, as mentioned, he’s still in his mid-20s, so there really is no rush.

That’s why a fight with a veteran like Ricardo Ramos, who was once the up-and-coming fighter, but has since been used as the measuring stick himself, makes a lot of sense. He and Rodriguez are still both under 30 and are at a similar stage in their careers. They’re both coming off victories, so let’s see who takes that next step.

Rodriguez’s next fight: Ricardo Ramos

Punahele Soriano

Soriano upset the betting line for the second time in a row at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 101, knocking out Uros Medic in just 31 seconds. With that impressive KO, he moved to 2-0 since dropping down to welterweight.

Another former middleweight who is 2-0 since making the cut to 170lbs is Chidi Njokuani. Njokuani used to be quite the action fighter before his last two fights took place mostly in the clinch, but maybe Soriano can bring back some of his old style out of him. Let’s see which former middleweight needs a push at welterweight.

Soriano’s next fight: Chidi Njokuani

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 101 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Is he getting tired of being the one to test these guys?

“Honestly, no. As long as they’re paying me I have no problem fighting whoever they want,” Rodriguez told Cageside Press among other reporters at his post-fight scrum.

“I gave up school to pursue this dream so I really don’t care. Whoever they want to put in front of me I’ll fight.”

Rodriguez (12-2) was technically the underdog in the fight despite having a lot more UFC experience than Bashi.

“I come from Milwaukee. The neighborhood I grew up in it wasn’t safest. I’ve been an underdog my whole entire life you know. I’m used to not getting the A-side of things. I’m used to working my ass off for things,” he said.

“So I didn’t really care about the odds. The only day it matters is in the octagon.”

With the victory secured Rodriguez looks ahead to what he hopes is four fights in 2025, but one destination is clear.

“I’d like to fight in Mexico City. No names yet. If Mexico City’s not possible then I would love to be on that Miami card. Last time I fought in Miami I shook up the world and I would love another opportunity to do that again,” he said.

If Mexico City doesn’t happen for Rodriguez there’s a second possible destination in the country for him. UFC CEO Dana White said late 2024 that he was looking at Guadalajara for the next Noche UFC card which would be in September.

“I would love to fight in Guadalajara. I got a lot of friends in Guadalajara so that’d be perfect too,” he said.

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Christian Rodriguez above.

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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)

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“Experience is definitely something you can’t buy. You have to literally experience it,” Rodriguez (11-2) noted during Wednesday’s media day promoting the event, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. Rodriguez enters fight #7 with the company this weekend, while Bashi is making his sophomore appearance. “I even witnessed that myself in my last fight. It’s experience. Experience matters a lot in this game.”

Rodriguez came up short against Julian Erosa in his last outing, and outlined what he learned from that setback. “Juicy J” but Rodriguez away with a guillotine choke that night.

“Looking back at my last fight, Erosa, he’s a veteran in the game. You can’t make a single mistake in that game. You can be winning the fight, but if you make one single mistake, let’s say you take one little rest in the game, there’s a punishment for it. And that’s what I learned. I learned how to be dialed in for 15 minutes straight no matter what. I think when you’re so new in this game, when you’re new and it’s always been one-sided, you’re always willing to take a risk. And sometimes you can’t take a risk.”

“CeeRod” also confirmed on Wednesday that he’d be sticking with the 145lb division for the long term. Three of his four wins in the UFC came at 135lbs; Rodriguez, however, missed weight for back-to-back assignments in 2023.

“Featherweight’s my permanent home. I like how I feel at featherweight, and it’s my home for now.” Rodriguez was cutting “a good 30 pounds,” he noted, getting back up to 165lbs or so by Fight Night when he was cutting to bantamweight. “I’m already kind of lean, too. And I’m only getting older too, so I’m going to fill out naturally, I’m going to get stronger.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 101 media day appearance by Christian Rodriguez above.

The post UFC Vegas 101: Christian Rodriguez Says Featherweight His Permanent Home appeared first on Cageside Press.

Austin Bashi (13-0) will face Christian Rodriguez (11-2) at the UFC’s first card of 2025, a Fight Night event in Las Vegas on January 11.

UFC officials announced the pairing on social media. And while another UFC Apex event to kick off 2025 might cause some groans among fans, the addition of the undefeated Bashi will add a reason to watch.

Bashi, a former Lights Out Championship and Shamrock FC bantamweight champ, moved to featherweight at the start of 2024, and has continued to find success in his new weight class. Posting a 2-0 record this year, he’s finished both of his opponents, most recently submitting Dorian Ramos on DWCS in September.

Christian Rodriguez (11-2) has lost only to Julian Erosa and Jonathan “JSP” Pearce, who have both found success under the UFC banner. “Ceerod” has become something of a litmus test for hot prospects, having fought (and defeated) both Raul Rosas Jr. and Cameron Saaiman early in their UFC runs.

UFC Vegas 101 takes place on January 11, 2025 at the UFC Apex, with the following bouts reported:

• César Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
• Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi
• Trey Ogden vs. Thiago Moisés
• Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov
• Uroš Medić vs. Punahele Soriano
• Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari
• Preston Parsons vs. Andreas Gustafsson
• José Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes
• Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes
• Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris
• Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz
• Victoria Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline

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