JORDAN WILLIAMS VS. GREGORY RODRIGUES
Middleweights making their first starts of 2020 square off in the main event as two-time Contender Series veteran Jordan Williams returns to take on Brazilian Gregory Rodrigues.
Williams’ resume is littered with UFC connections, as his first two losses came against current UFC competitors Kazula Vargas and Dwight Grant, while his third setback came last summer on the Contender Series when he landed on the wrong side of a split decision verdict against Ramazan Kuramagomedov. The previous summer, the 29-year-old Nor-Cal Fighting Alliance representative finished veteran Tim Caron in the third round of their clash on Dana White’s summer talent search, but he didn’t earn a contract and the result was overturned to a no contest when Williams’ post-fight drug screening came back positive for marijuana metabolites.
Now the 8-3 middleweight looks to follow in Jamie Pickett’s footsteps by becoming the second three-time competitor this season to collect a victory and a contract as he steps up to take on Rodrigues on Tuesday night.
After stumbling out of the blocks to start his career, Rodrigues carries a six-fight winning streak into this week’s main event. Five of those victories have come by way of finish and the lone decision came two fights back against durable regional circuit standout Tanner Saraceno. The 28-year-old had bouts against Contender Series veteran Anthony Adams and current UFC competitor Joaquin Buckley cancelled earlier this year, but now he finally gets the chance to step into the cage in 2020 for the first time.
On paper, this feels like the kind of fight where the winner is likely to end up securing a contract, provided they turn in a quality performance, as each has proven themselves on the regional circuit.
Will the third time be the charm for Williams, or will Rodrigues extend his winning streak and land a spot on the UFC roster?
