MMAOB staff writer Adam Martin takes a deeper look at the main event of UFC Vegas 64, a five-round women’s strawweight bout between Marina Rodriguez and Amanda Lemos. The event takes place on Saturday, November 5 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marina Rodriguez (-210)
Rodriguez (16-1-2) is the No. 3 ranked women’s strawweight. The 35-year-old Brazilian has been in the UFC since 2018, and she has a 6-1-2 record overall in the Octagon. Some of her most notable wins are Yan Xiaonan, Mackenzie Dern, and Tecia Torres. Rodriguez is one of the best strikers at 115lbs. She is typically able to keep her fights on the feet and she can outstrike her opponents and win decisions. She has also shown some power during her UFC run. She doesn’t use her grappling offensively, but she does have solid defensive grappling and is able to sprawl and brawl in most of her fights. Overall, she’s an excellent fighter and one who is nearing a title shot at women’s 115lbs.
Amanda Lemos (+180)
Lemos (12-2-1) is the No. 7 ranked women’s strawweight. The 35-year-old Brazilian is 6-2 in the UFC since joining the promotion back in 2017, with notable wins over Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Angela Hill. From what we have seen of Lemos in the UFC, she is an incredibly-dangerous fighter who can hurt her opponents on the feet and also choke them out on the ground. There is a lot to like about Lemos, but she is still unproven beating elite opponents, especially in five-round fights. She has the tools to win this fight, but she is the clear betting underdog in the odds.
Fight Breakdown: This should be a good fight between two of the best women’s strawweights on the UFC roster. Both women are in the prime of their careers, and this should lead to fans getting a very exciting fight to watch. That being said, you have to lean toward Rodriguez to get the job done here. She’s more proven in 25-minute fights and she has superior conditioning, which should be a big advantage for her in a fight like this against someone as explosive as Lemos. Rodriguez is durable and Lemos is going to have a hard time hurting her, so how does she win? Look for Lemos to start off strong early on, but fatigue as the fight goes on. As the rounds go on, expect Rodriguez’s cardio to take over as she outpoints her opponent and takes home the decision after five rounds.
Prediction: Marina Rodriguez
