Christian Rodriguez vs Julian Erosa prediction, pick, start time and odds for UFC on ESPN 59

Cristiane Rodríguez It is Juliana Erosa face each other on Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 59, at the Ball Arena, in Denver. Check out this quick recap of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

Last event: 2-2
Main UFC cards, 2024: 54-51-2

Christian Rodriguez vs Julian Erosa UFC in ESPN 59 preview

Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is looking to extend a four-fight winning streak in his second appearance in 2024. “CeeRod” beat Isaac Dulgarian via split decision in March. A veteran of the 2021 Dana White’s Contender Series who didn’t immediately arrive in the UFC after his appearance on the show, he joined after winning yet another regional fight. Rodriguez lost his UFC debut but has since won four in a row. … Erosa (29-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) aims to maintain the momentum since his first-round submission of Ricardo Ramos in March, and also stay above .500 in the UFC. Erosa is also a DWCS veteran who appeared in 2018 to begin his second stint in the UFC. After losing three consecutive games, he left again and returned to the promotion for his third run in 2020. Since then, he has built a 6-3 record.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 Expert Pick, Prediction

Serving as a solid featherweight action fight is the clash between Rodriguez and Erosa.

Despite traditionally fighting at bantamweight, Rodriguez continues to fight in the 145-kilo category after some setbacks with the scales. But that aside, Rodriguez has been an absolute pleasure to watch from an analyst’s perspective.

In addition to having very sharp techniques, Rodriguez fights with a level of composure and experience far beyond the years on his official resume. However, Rodriguez will likely still be very busy given Erosa’s size and skills.

Erosa may bear a striking resemblance to Cameron from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” but don’t let that fool you: Erosa is an underrated talent and a seemingly dangerous test for any featherweight in the cast.

Erosa’s kryptonite has been his shooting ability, given the number of first-round stoppages in his loss column. But if Erosa can survive the first storms, he has traditionally been a difficult customer from bell to bell.

Maybe my Xtreme Couture bias is bleeding a little here, but I’ll pick up a pamphlet on Erosa to discover close, competitive decisions on the scorecards.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC at ESPN 59 Odds

Oddsmakers and the public favor the younger fighter, listing Rodriguez -225 and Erosa +180 via FanDuel.

Christian Rodriguez vs Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59, start time, how to watch

For the main event, Rodriguez and Erosa are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:35 pm ET (8:35 pm ET in Denver). The fight will air on ESPN and is broadcast live ESPN+.

For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC on ESPN 59.

This story originally appeared on MMA Junkie