UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez Odds, Main Event Prediction (Back Ortega Before Price Goes Up)

A battle of two Featherweight contenders goes down Saturday night in Elmont, New York to help reset the hierarchy of the division.

Brian Ortega lost his title shot against Alexander Volkanovski, but looks to get back on track against Yair Rodriguez in the main event of the UFC Fight Night card on Saturday, July 16th.

Here are the full odds from WynnBET Sportsbook for Saturday's card on ESPN as well as the main event preview.

UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez Odds

• Jessica Penne (+120) vs. Emily Ducote (-140)
• Dwight Grant (-160) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (+135)
• Dustin Jacoby (-135) vs. Jung Da Un (+115)
• Bill Algeo (-175) vs. Herbert Burns (+145)
• Ricky Simon (+135) vs. Jack Shore (-160)
• Punahele Soriano (-275) vs. Dalcha Lungiambula (+220)
• Lauren Murphy (+145) vs. Miesha Tate (-175)
• Shane Burgos (-185) vs. Charles Jourdain (+155)
• Matthew Christopher Schnell (+215) vs. Su Madaerji (-270)
• Li Jinliang (+145) vs. Muslim Salikhov (-175)
• Michelle Waterson (+275) vs. Amanda Lemos (-355)
• Brian Ortega (-165) vs. Yair Rodriguez (+140)

Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez Prediction and Pick

I believe Ortega is the clear side in this fight. Despite coming up short to Volkanovski in his Featherweight title shot last September, he had a few moments of brilliance and put the champ in danger. Nobody has been that close to finishing him in recent memory.

While Ortega lost the decision, he showed that he is continuing to grow as a fighter and is dangerous on the ground. Rodriguez only has a 60% takedown defense and doesn't present the finishing upside of 'T-City.'

Rodriguez returned from a significant layoff to lose a competitive decision to Max Holloway. While there's no shame in losing to the former champion after sitting out since 2019, Holloway took down Rodriguez three times and Ortega is far more dangerous on the mat. If Ortega drags 'El Pantera' down as much as Holloway did, he will find the finish.

If we look further back, prior to his layoff, Rodriguez won a decision victory in 2019 over Jeremy Stephens (who is out of the promotion) after the two had a no contest prior to that. Before those two bouts, he scored a last second KO against Korean Zombie and was finished by Frankie Edgar the time before that.

There is little to go off of that justifies Rodriguez being this short of a price to Ortega, who has shown to be a five round fighter since a layoff of his own.

Give me Ortega at this number in what should be a convincing victory.

LEAN: Ortega ML (-165)

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