Yair Rodriguez Vs. Patricio Freire Predictions – ‘It Can Go Either Way’
Yair Rodriguez faces Patricio Freire this weekend at UFC 314, as MMA insiders gave their predictions.
Freire has serious pedigree, having become a two-weight champion in Bellator. He left Bellator with a 24-6 record. He secured the featherweight and lightweight titles. Pitbull then joined RIZIN, aiming to win the featherweight and bantamweight titles. Pitbull has spoken about his desire to fight Jose Aldo as he prepares to leave his mark on the UFC in the 145-pound weight class in his first fight. But he must get past Rodriguez first. Rodriguez is not in the best form, having lost consecutive fights to Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega. The Volkanovski loss cost him the UFC Featherweight Title, while the Ortega loss was hard to stomach. MMA insiders gave their views on how the fight will play out.
Pre-Fight Talk
“I’m just happy to be the one who is welcoming him to the UFC. I’m going to show him the level that it takes to be in this company for how many ever years, and he’s going to feel it on Saturday. I completely erased all the bad things that I was doing, and I changed it for something good. If you ask my body, my body would be really thankful for that because I can actually see the progress – the progress in my body, in my head, in my spirit. Actually, this is the best I’ve ever felt in my life,” Rodriguez said
“I’ve had some good experiences in my career. Bellator, [and] RIZIN in Japan is a big show. Being in the UFC is different. I’ve been waiting for this moment all my career. I’m very happy with that,” Pitbull stated
Predictions
“I’m going with Pitbull. I think he uses his wrestling to win a decision,” Chase Hooper (UFC lightweight)
“I’m a fan of Yair, but Pitbull is super talented. I’ll say Yair, but it could go either way,” Jim Miller (UFC lightweight)
“I think Yair Rodriguez. He will be too long for Pitbull, and the UFC experience will help him,” Davey Grant (UFC bantamweight)
“I’m interested to see how Pitbull does in his first UFC fight. But, I think Yair Rodriguez gets the win and gets the decision win,” Youssef Zalal (UFC featherweight)
“I’m really looking forward to this fight. I think it can go either way. I’ll be interested to see how Pitbull will do in his debut, but I do think Pitbull can wrestle Rodriguez and will get the win that way,” Modestas Bukauskas (UFC lightweight)
“That fight is interesting. I think Yair though, he has the UFC experience and size advantage here,” Vince Morales (UFC bantamweight)
“I have to go with Pitbull. Yair doesn’t seem as good as he once was, and Pitbull is gonna come in with a chip on his shoulder,” Julian Erosa (UFC featherweight)
Full Card
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes
Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull
Bryce Michell vs. Jean Silva
Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
Prelims
Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba
Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
Early Prelims
Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Sumudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
Tresean Gore vs. Marco Tulio
Nora Cornolle vs. Hailey Cowan
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