UFC Predictions: UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez

Mackenzie Dern faces Marina Rodriguez in a high-level strawweight clash this weekend
Mackenzie Dern faces Marina Rodriguez in a high-level strawweight clash this weekend

#2. UFC welterweight division: Randy Brown vs. Jared Gooden

Randy Brown's last UFC fight saw him choke out Alex Oliveira
Randy Brown's last UFC fight saw him choke out Alex Oliveira

Quite why this welterweight clash has been made the co-main event on this UFC card is anyone’s guess. Both men are coming off wins, but Jared Gooden is 1-2 in the UFC and certainly isn’t likely to climb into title contention any time soon.

Is Randy Brown any more likely, despite his superior experience in the UFC? In all honesty, the answer is no. ‘Rude Boy’ did look good in a submission win over Alex Oliveira at UFC 261, but prior to that he’d been violently stopped by Vicente Luque.

And with an overall UFC record of 7-4, it’s probably safe to say that the native of Jamaica is simply too inconsistent to really climb to the top. However, Brown is a highly exciting fighter who tends to finish most of his fights, meaning that in the very least, this one should be fun to watch.

The major advantage ‘Rude Boy’ appears to hold here is his size and length. His reach is 78”, just one inch longer than Gooden’s. However, he stands at 6’3” and is remarkably lanky for a 170lber. If he can keep Gooden at the end of his strikes, then ‘Nite Train’ will find it hard to get any meaningful offense in.

However, based on his lone UFC win, a knockout of Niklas Stolze in July, Gooden does have big power in his hands. There’s more evidence for that in the fact that eight of his 18 career wins have come via KO.

And in that sense, Brown should probably be somewhat concerned. ‘Rude Boy’ has never really shown the best chin in the UFC, as we saw when he was knocked out by Niko Price’s hammer fists from the bottom.

However, based on what we’ve seen from both, Brown has the advantage in the majority of areas and has the most ways to win. With that considered, ‘Rude Boy’ is the pick.

The Pick: Brown via second round TKO

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