[autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag] and [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 preview
Osbourne (12-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) will enter UFC 306 in danger of reaching the dreaded three-fight skid after losses to Asu Almabayev and Jafel Filho. Both times, Osbourne submitted to rear-naked chokes. … Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, is on a six-fight overall winning streak, which includes his UFC debut this past February when he beat Denys Bondar by rear-naked choke. “Lazy Boy,” who’s just 25, has a big opportunity to make a name for himself on the biggest of stages.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 expert pick, prediction
I’m happy to see Rodriguez make it to the big stage, especially since I thought he got a raw deal on the scorecards opposite Jerome Rivera in his shot on the Contender Series back in 2020. That said, “Lazy Boy” will find himself opposite another experienced foe in Osbourne.
I think that Osbourne might be the more technical fighter in every area, but I also understand why he’s the underdog in this spot.
Even though Osbourne is an incredibly dynamic fighter who can execute eye-catching offense early on in fights, the Jamaican-American has a propensity to fade if the fight is not going his way.
Rodriguez may not be as accoladed as a grappler on paper, but the Mexican has shown excellent defense and scrambling ability – something he uses to end up on top of opponents.
Should Rodriguez get through Osbourne’s offering in the first frame, then I suspect he’ll be able to shut down a lot of his opponent’s hopes with his potent counter-offense.
I’ll pick Rodriguez to score a guillotine choke in Round 2.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 odds
Rodriguez will enter UFC 306 as a -162 favorite, with Osbourne a +136 underdog, according to DraftKings.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 start time, how to watch
Osbourne and Rodriguez are expected to walk out to the octagon at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. locally in Las Vegas). The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.