UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Penn will air on January 15, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona.
#10 YAIR “CHILITO” RODRIGUEZ (8-1-0) vs B.J. “THE PRODIGY” PENN (16-10-2)
This is a five round main event in the featherweight division. Rodriguez brings taekwondo and boxing that has made him an efficient striker along with having good cardio. Penn brings boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling giving him striking and grappling power that lead him to become a former lightweight and welterweight champion. With this fight containing a fighter who has striking and cardio as a weapon versus a fighter with striking and grappling the fight could go either way, but due to the fact that Penn has been out of action for a while and was on a terrible decline when he left the sport about two years ago I really do not think he will be able to stand up to a new uprising striker like Rodriguez. Unless he somehow brought the fight to the ground where Rodriguez seems to lack Penn does not look in any way prepared for this fight even as his cardio has shown a massive decline throughout his career. My prediction: Rodriguez wins via unanimous decision.
JOE LAUZON (26-13-0) vs MARCIN HELD (22-5-0)
This is a three round co-main event in the lightweight division. Lauzon brings boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling making him efficient in both striking and grappling style of fighting. Held brings submission grappling and jiu-jitsu making him a well-rounded grappler and deadly on the ground. Now with both fighters being well-rounded in grappling techniques I believe Lauzon in more skilled as he knows more about how to control his grappling style with his wrestling and jiu-jitsu where Held is not as skilled with his submissions as Lauzon. My prediction: Lauzon wins via submission in round 2.
COURT “THE CRUSHER” MCGEE (19-5-0) vs BEN “KILLA B” SAUNDERS (19-7-2)
This is a three round fight in the welterweight division. McGee brings boxing, karate, Kempo and jiu-jitsu giving him striking and grappling power along with cardio. Saunders brings sumo, taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu and wrestling giving him striking power and hardcore grappling. This fight looks to be intense and it includes two fighters almost identical in fighting style, but the way I see it Saunders’ ground game is more advanced than McGee and will prove to be too much for McGee to handle. Unless McGee could manage to keep the fight on their feet and try to out strike Saunders I really don’t see McGee standing much of a chance against a grappler like Saunders. My prediction: Saunders wins via submission in round 3.
