Preview: UFC Fight Night 226 Prelims

Bantamweights

Farid Basharat (10-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. Kleydson Rodrigues (8-2, 1-1 UFC)

ODDS: Basharat (-325), Rodrigues (+260)

A standout athlete with a great deal of physical explosion, Rodrigues has been one of the most intriguing flyweight prospects in the UFC during his time on the roster, which makes it a shame that he apparently is not actually a flyweight. Repeated weight misses have forced him up to 135 pounds for the time being. Rodrigues’ dynamism has made him a classic case of a fighter who has relied on his being the superior athlete. He was an absolute revelation in his win on Dana White’s Contender Series, but C.J. Vergara’s durability and pressure exposed that the Brazilian has some difficulty turning up the heat when he is the nail and not the hammer. That made his quick destruction of Shannon Ross in February a promising turnaround, but his issues on the scale have dulled his moment once again and he gets a tricky test up at 135 pounds in the form of Basharat. The younger brother of fellow UFC bantamweight Javid Basharat, he has a similar game built around movement-heavy striking and a surprisingly solid wrestling game; his older sibling relies more on the latter. A wrestling-heavy win in March over Da’Mon Blackshear has aged quite well and suggests that Basharat can find some success making this an absolute grind and taking Rodrigues out of his comfort zone. There is cause for worry—the London Shootfighters product can be overconfident as a striker, and Rodrigues has historically had plenty of firepower—but the lean is that Basharat can lean on his durability and spoil the Brazilian’s debut in a new division. The pick is Basharat via decision.

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Basharat vs. Rodrigues