Prediction for the fight Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Freire

One of Bellator's biggest stars, Patricio Freire, has finally signed with the UFC in the twilight of his career. In his first fight, he will face former interim champion Yair "El Pantera" Rodriguez, who delights the crowd with his stand-up moves.

• Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Freire;
• Yair Rodriguez;
• Patricio Freire;
• Comparative analysis;
• Game Totals Prediction.

Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Freire

Yair Rodriguez

Yair proudly closes the Top 5 of the featherweight category. His base is taekwondo, and the guy has a black belt there, but let's not forget that the Mexican at one time actively trained judo and boxing, periodically demonstrating skills on the ground.

Rodriguez's statistics are not great - 3 out of 5 bets on his victory did not come out, but let's be honest: who could have won if he fought Holloway, Volkanovski and Ortega? At the same time, he beat simpler guys quite convincingly.

Strengths

Yair is terrifying both in attack and in his ability to meet the opposition's attacks. He has excellent kicking technique, fast straights and a whole arsenal of intricate combos and unexpected explosive single strikes not only with his limbs but also with any place where a joint bends. An impenetrable "hold" and satisfactory cardio also play in his favor.

Weaknesses

Rodriguez can be punched, he doesn't have such a great takedown defense, it's just better not to yawn during close encounters - it's fraught. Sometimes, like a true Mexican, "El Pantera" accepts the fight and enters into exchanges that he doesn't need at all. Yes, it's spectacular, it shows his spirit, but not the desire to win in every moment.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

The fighter is 32 years old, and he has already fought so many battles with the elite that many veterans would be envious. Yair is on a two-fight losing streak and it is vital for him to get back on the winning path. He has the arsenal for this, as well as the experience, all that remains is to catch the right mood and, finally, make decisions in favor of "smart" fights, rather than demonstrating his best home-made preparations. We believe that this will happen, but it is not a fact that it will happen this time.

Patricio Freire

As strange as it may sound, with 40+ fights in his career, the UFC debutant has to his credit: 2 Bellator belts at 66 and 70 kg, a black belt in BJJ, the Bellator Grand Prix title (Season 4), as well as the title of one of the most outstanding fighters of this promotion.

Two bets on him to win his last five fights didn't come through when he fought Sergio Pettis and Chihiro Suzuki at Rizin (weight cut played a role there), and overall, he wasted a whole year sitting idle while he was wondering where to go next after selling Bellator.

Strengths

Freire is good at everything: he has a heavy punch, quality counterwork, technical passes to the body and both legs, and excellent BJJ. He waits for his opponent to attack him, and then immediately knocks it down, reducing the distance and throwing series. After that - a knockout, or a transfer, because "Pitbull" every now and then tries to grab his opponent's neck, or give him a good kick on the floor.

Weaknesses

Patricio is certainly not the best wrestler, but in the upcoming match, he will hardly have to worry about that. Defense is much more important, and there are many questions here, because watching him throw series at an overlapping opponent, it becomes uneasy - his hands are never at his chin.

The current form and readiness of the fighter

Freire will turn 38 this summer, and even taking into account that he has had a whole year off, having the opportunity to recover well, to get such a top contender at the start is a big statement. Patricio has gone through 3 and 5 rounds, fought against representatives of all styles, and in this case, one thing will play the most important role: has he become rusty at such a respectable age?

Comparative analysis

"Pitbull" is inferior in height and arm span by about 13 centimeters, and if it were not for Yair's talent to sting from a long distance and then turn on his legs, this could easily be leveled by Patricio's instant rapprochements. But alas, there is a high probability that the number of attack exchanges already in the first round will be huge, and here durability will play a significant role.

One could say that Rodriguez is Mexican and punches of any tonnage are no problem for him, but even Volkanovski finished him, and "The Great One" is not famous for frequent early victories. Simply put, they can beat each other and, if this happens, Yair will not have a plan "B", since he will not beat Freire, and Freire can beat him if he wants.

This is where the Brazilian's versatility and variability come in handy, as he rushes around the cage like a hurricane, striking and then immediately coming down to the ground to take a shot.

Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Freire Prediction

As a result, we have a very interesting situation: two experienced top fighters, with a heavy blow, and one of them also with a good base of techniques, will get only 3 rounds to eliminate the opponent. On paper, with their styles, this is enough for the finish, but both have a third of their victories - decisions, and this is a fairly high probability. At the same time, Freire is a tactician, he knows how to switch during the fight, but if he is kept at a long distance - he will be in trouble.

However, let's think logically: the odds are not an indicator, Patricio's clinches and wrestling are a weighty argument, he knows how to break with pressure and survive difficult moments. Rodriguez, on the other hand, has repeatedly amazed with his stubbornness, despite all his ingenuity. Therefore, the recommendation would be to bet on the underdog's victory or on the fight going beyond the equator, or even going into the 3rd round. Download 1xbet to your phone and place a bet on the favorite!

Prediction: Patricio Freire win/Total Over (1.5)/3rd round starts