Tomorrow night on the prelims at UFC 272, we will see a potential title eliminator in the strawweight division. Top contenders will battle it out as Marina Rodriguez (15-1-2) will be taking on China’s Xiaonan Yan (13-2).
It’s honestly puzzling to me that this fight with so much on the line is on the prelims. Nevertheless, fans watching the UFC 272 prelims will get a treat with this matchup tomorrow night.
Marina Rodriguez will be going for her fourth straight win at UFC 272. After losing her first career fight by split decision to Carla Esparza back in 2020, she’s gone on a run with wins over Amanda Ribas, Michelle Waterson, and Mackenzie Dern.
Yan is going to be looking to bounce back after suffering her first loss in the UFC. After starting out 6-0 which included wins over title challengers Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Yan lost to Carla Esparza. Now, she’s hoping to get right back in title contention with a win over Marina Rodriguez.
UFC 272 Preview
If you like technical striking, this is going to be the fight for you. These two ladies are poised to put on a technical showcase at UFC 272. Both Yan and Rodriguez have the skills to best the other on the feet.
We’ve seen Yan get the better of opponents using a good amount of volume. That volume could really come into play against a fighter like Rodriguez. Now, Rodriguez is going to have the big advantage in terms of power and I think technique.
I absolutely love what I see on the feet from Marina Rodriguez. Her technique is flawless and she has some of the best power in the UFC’s strawweight division. I can definitely see that power being an advantage here.
Most people seem to be writing Yan off, but I think this is going to be a very close and competitive matchup. While Yan is going to have success, I think the more impactful strikes will come from Rodriguez at UFC 272 which should be enough to give her a close nod on the scorecards.
Prediction: Marina Rodriguez by Decision