Preview: UFC Fight Night 237 Prelims

Flyweights

Ronaldo Rodriguez (16-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Denys Bondar (14-4, 0-2 UFC)

ODDS: Rodriguez (-115), Bondar (-105)

This marks the UFC debut for Mexico’s Rodriguez, and it will be interesting to see what “Lazy Boy” can accomplish over the course of his UFC career. Rodriguez had some hype as a 21-year-old prospect when he appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, and he put together a solid showing in a loss. Jerome Rivera was Rodriguez’s toughest opponent to date and caused some frustration with his long frame, but he held his own everywhere over the course of three tough rounds. Rodriguez has strung together five straight wins since his return to the regional scene, so the UFC has now signed him outright for this assignment against Bondar. Ukraine’s Bondar was a worthy flier when the UFC picked him up in 2020. “Psycho” had put together a solid resume thanks to his willingness to stay aggressive, cause chaos and find a finish in the process. However, Bondar’s UFC career has never really gotten out of the gates. His UFC debut was delayed multiple times, and when he finally made it to the cage, he lost via major arm injury in just 82 seconds. It would be over a year until Bondar returned to face Carlos Hernandez in June—a performance that was a mixed bag. He fought with a more measured approach that seemed like a good idea in the abstract, but in practice, he just did not get much done on his way to a clear loss. Rodriguez still has some issues with his game, as he can be overly patient without being particularly defensively sound, but he still seems well-rounded enough to stay ahead of Bondar, even if it might not be the prettiest fight. The pick is Rodriguez via decision.

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