Tomorrow on the main card of UFC Charlotte, we are going to see a fun welterweight matchup between two men that are looking to break into the top fifteen. Top welterweight prospect Ian Garry (11-0) will look to remain unbeaten as he takes on “D-Rod” Daniel Rodriguez (17-3).
Daniel Rodriguez started out 7-1 in his first eight fights inside the octagon including wins over Kevin Lee, Li Jingliang, and Mike Perry. However, in his last bout, he was submitted by Neil Magny. In that fight, he tried to get things down to the mat in the third round and it cost him dearly. He’ll look to get back on the winning track tomorrow.
However, to do that, he’s going to need to hand Ian Garry his first professional loss. “The Future” is one of the top prospects in the division and so far he’s a perfect 4-0 inside the octagon. However, this is by far the biggest test of his UFC career and I’m fascinated to see how he holds up.
UFC Charlotte Prediction
When it comes to the fight tomorrow night, I think that D-Rod can give Garry a lot of problems. Between his power kicks and his left hands, I definitely see openings in Garry’s game where Rodriguez can take advantage. However, if Garry fights smart and long, he can also find success.
We’ve seen Garry clipped a few times and it’s known that he can get hurt. However, we’ve also seen him weather some storms and come back strong to finish fights including in his last win. I would not be shocked to see Rodriguez hurt Garry in the first at UFC Charlotte.
However, as the fight goes on, I like Garry’s ability to fight long and throw straight shots. I don’t think we see a finish here, but a strong final two rounds earns Garry a close decision and moves him to 5-0 in the UFC.
Prediction: Ian Garry by Decision