Flyweights
Ronaldo Rodriguez (16-2, 1-0 UFC) vs. Ode Osbourne (12-7, 4-5 UFC)UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
It will be interesting to see if Rodriguez can make much hay in the UFC’s flyweight division. “Lazy Boy” had some hype as a 21-year-old prospect heading into a 2020 showing on the Contender Series, but he lost his fight and wound up needing four more years to make it onto the roster. He has proven himself to be an entertaining fighter, even if his approach is often inconsistent in terms of success. He’s dedicated to applying pressure but doesn’t throw much volume, often waiting for his opponent to make a move before throwing a big counter or hunting for a takedown. Add in that Rodriguez is fairly slow-footed for a flyweight, and that makes for some frustrating affairs as he attempts to chase down his opponents—at least until he finds a moment to break the fight wide open and score a finish. That makes for a fascinating dynamic against Osbourne, since each man’s strengths match up well against the other’s weaknesses.
Osbourne is an obvious physical talent with a rare combination of size and speed for the division, and while he has landed a few knockouts against the lower reaches of the UFC’s ranks, he’s typically content to stay at range and lean on his length to frustrate opponents over the course of three rounds. If an opponent can eventually track “The Jamaican Sensation” down, that’s typically when things start to go south. Beyond a few knockout losses earlier in Osbourne’s UFC career, his last two fights have seen him get taken down and submitted. The main question here involves whether or not Rodriguez can eventually close ranks and find that type of finish. The read is that Osbourne is too fast—and Rodriguez is too slow—for the Mexican prospect to find his big moment. The pick is Osbourne via decision.
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O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili
Grasso vs. Shevchenko
Lopes vs. Ortega
Zellhuber vs. Ribovics
Rodriguez vs. Osbourne
The Prelims