![UFC Fight Tonight: Fight Night Ortega vs. Rodriguez [Image courtesy: @ufc via Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/07/29179-16578989544225-1920.jpg)
![UFC Fight Tonight: Fight Night Ortega vs. Rodriguez [Image courtesy: @ufc via Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The UFC is headed to the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York for UFC Fight Tonight: Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez. The action is set to go down this Saturday, July 16, and MMA fans are in for a treat.
Headlining the UFC Long Island fight card will be a featherweight showdown between No.2-ranked contender Brian Ortega and No.3-ranked Yair Rodriguez.
In the co-headliner, Amanda Lemos will take on former training partner Michelle Waterson in a thrilling women's strawweight contest. This will be a crucial matchup as both fighters are coming off a loss in their most recent bouts.
In another intriguing matchup, No.14-ranked welterweight Li Jingliang will aim to bounce back from his devastating loss to Khamzat Chimaev when he faces a streaking Muslim Salikhov. The Dagestani fighter will look to score his sixth straight victory and burst into the welterweight top 15 in the process.
Also on the UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez main card, Miesha Tate will make her flyweight debut against one-time title challenger Lauren Murphy.
While 'Cupcake' has gone 1-1 since returning to the UFC in 2021, she is 1-3 in her last four octagon appearances. 'Lucky' is also coming off a defeat to champion Valentina Shevchenko in her most recent trip to the octagon.
UFC Fight Tonight: Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez to clash with title aspirations on the line
Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez will take the main event spot at UFC Fight Night this Saturday, hoping to get the next crack at the featherweight title.
Ranked No.2 in the division, Ortega came very close to finishing current 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski in their title clash in September 2021. However, 'The Great' eventually won the fight via unanimous decision after five rounds of riveting action.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez delivered a memorable performance against Max Holloway despite ending up on the wrong side of a unanimous decision last November.
The upcoming bout will certainly be a big challenge for both featherweights. Each of them will be looking to bounce back from the result of their most recent octagon outing. A strong performance could elevate the winner to a title shot.
Watch the UFC Fight Tonight: Ortega vs. Rodriguez bout preview below:
