5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez

#2. Phil Hawes might be the best prospect in the UFC middleweight division

Phil Hawes might be the best middleweight prospect in the UFC right now

Outside of the main event, the best fight on this card from the perspective of producing a potential UFC title contender is the main card opener between middleweights Phil Hawes and Deron Winn.

As a protégé of former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, Winn arguably entered the promotion with more hype. However, he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. he’s gone 2-2 and has had issues when he’s been unable to impose his powerful wrestling game.

Hawes, on the other hand, has taken a longer route to the UFC, losing on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2017. Since then, however, ‘Megatron’ has looked genuinely excellent.

He went on a strong run outside the UFC. Since being signed in 2020, he’s gone 3-0, beating three tricky opponents in Jacob Malkoun, Nassourdine Imavov and Kyle Daukaus.

More to the point, Hawes has the wrestling ability to stop Winn in his tracks and perhaps use his heavy hands to earn a fourth win in the octagon. Right now, there are few better prospects in the UFC at middleweight than ‘Megatron’. This is another chance for him to prove that, which makes this fight a must-see clash.

---

#1. The winner of the main event might be in line for a UFC title shot

Can Mackenzie Dern capture a title shot with a victory this weekend?

Naturally, the most intriguing fight on offer this weekend is the headline clash between UFC strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez. Both women have been on excellent runs as of late. An impressive win here could well net either one a title shot in 2022.

Sometimes fights with this much on the line can easily turn into damp squibs, but it doesn’t feel likely that this one will. In fact, it should provide fans with a classic clash of styles, with Dern, a world class grappler with a still-developing striking game, going against Rodriguez, who is excellent standing but has some issues on the ground.

So who will win this fight? It’s honestly hard to say. Dern is arguably more dangerous thanks to her venomous ground game. She’s submitted three of her last four opponents and looks to be in the best shape of her career.

However, Rodriguez also picked up the biggest win of her career in her last bout, outpointing perennial contender Michelle Waterson. Prior to that, she handed Amanda Ribas the first defeat of her UFC career.

Regardless of who wins, this should be a fantastic fight between two of the strawweight division’s brightest young contenders. It makes this show well worth watching overall.