Marina Rodriguez finds herself pointed in the wrong direction for the first time in her career.
As Rodriguez makes final preparations for her forthcoming battle with Waterson-Gomez at 115 pounds, a look at five of the moments that have helped chart her course to this point:
1. Taking Care of Business
The undefeated Rodriguez improved to 10-0 and nailed down a spot on the UFC roster when she buried Maria Oliveira with first-round punches during Season 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil on Aug. 11, 2018 at the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas. Oliveira checked out 3:03 into Round 1. Rodriguez remained calm under duress, as her counterpart marched forward from the outset. She struck for a takedown inside the first minute, postured in half guard and unleashed her ground-and-pound, connecting with short elbows to the head and a series of brutal knees to the body. Oliveira eventually returned to her feet but found no refuge there. Rodriguez battered her with collar-tie knees upstairs and pinned her to the fence following a Superman punch. Once there, she hammered away with knees and elbows until Oliveira disengaged and indicated she no longer wanted to continue.
2. A Bitter Taste
Repeated takedowns paired with a seasoned top game and ground-and-pound carried Carla Esparza to a contentious split decision over the previously unbeaten Rodriguez in a featured UFC on ESPN 14 women’s strawweight attraction on July 25, 2020 at the Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Judges Ben Cartlidge and Clemens Werner saw it 29-28 and 30-27 for Esparza, while Anders Ohlsson turned in a 29-28 scorecard for Rodriguez. Esparza put the Brazilian on the mat in all three rounds, including three times in the third. Rodriguez was effective from her back—she opened a cut above the former champion’s left eye with a slashing elbow strike in Round 1—but could not overcome the optics. By the time the bout concluded, Esparza had built a 118-91 advantage in total strikes landed and piled up nearly nine minutes of control time.
3. Quick Strike
Rodriguez put away former Jungle Fight champion Amanda Ribas with punches in the second round of their UFC 257 women’s strawweight showcase on Jan. 23, 2021 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The curtain was drawn 54 seconds into Round 2. Ribas secured a takedown and controlled much of the first round from top position. Her luck changed in an instant in the second. There, she walked into a counter right hook from Rodriguez, faceplanted and continued to eat punches while referee Herb Dean hovered above. Dean appeared to make contact with Rodriguez but did not call for the stoppage, leading to a momentary pause. She then resumed her assault on the still wobbly Ribas, connected with another thudding right and forced Dean to act. The setback snapped Ribas’ five-fight winning streak.
4. When Styles Clash
The resurgent Rodriguez outstruck Mackenzie Dern to a unanimous decision in their UFC Fight Night 194 headliner on Oct. 9, 2021 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges scored it 49-46 for the Brazilian muay thai practitioner. Dern had her chances. The 2015 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship gold medalist dragged Rodriguez to the canvas in the second round, threatened with a leg lock and moved into side control. From there, she applied her ground-and-pound from a reverse crucifix position and advanced to the back. However, the submission Dern needed never materialized. She managed to get Rodriguez back to the mat with roughly 40 seconds left in the fourth round, and though she ended the period in full mount, her last legitimate opportunity at a victory had passed her by. Rodriguez was the vastly superior striker and knitted together her weapons beautifully, from multi-punch volleys, front kicks to the body and crisp jabs to oblique kicks, knees to the midsection and standing elbows. Fatigue also played a role in Dern’s demise, as she slowed noticeably in the championship rounds.
5. Not Quite There
Amanda Lemos moved ever closer to the top of the women’s strawweight division when she took out Rodriguez with punches in the third round of their UFC Fight Night 214 main event on Nov. 5, 2022 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The end came 54 seconds into Round 3. After a tepid first five minutes, Lemos switched gears, executed a trip takedown and eventually progressed to the back in the second round. She threatened with a neck crank, then cut off an escape by transitioning to top position, settling in half guard and bleeding valuable time off the clock. Lemos backed up the Thai Brasil star with a thudding right hand early in Round 3, pressed her into the fence and let fly with winging hooks from both hands. Rodriguez offered nothing in response, prompting referee Jason Herzog to rush in to save her.