UFC comes to Strong Island – Ortega vs Rodriguez

TOP FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDERS COLLIDE: NO. 2 RANKED FEATHERWEIGHT BRIAN ORTEGA FACES NO. 3 RANKED YAIR RODRIGUEZ IN AN EXCITING MAIN EVENT MATCHUP in Elmont, NY

• Brian Ortega has the third most finishes in featherweight history. His six total finishes are tied for 3rd most ever at 145 lbs. He’s earned seven post-fight bonuses, 5th most in featherweight history.

• (15-2-1 NC, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) aims to continue his resurgence up the featherweight ranks  
  • No. 2 ranked UFC featherweight
  • Three wins by knockout, seven by submission 
  • Four first-round finishes 
  • Holds wins over Chan Sung Jung, Frankie Edgar, and Cub Swanson
• Yair Rodriguez (14-3 1NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) looks to notch the biggest victory of his UFC career and earn his first title shot
  • No. 3 ranked UFC featherweight
  • Five wins by knockout, three by submission 
  • Four first-round finishes
  • Has won 10 of his last 13 bouts
  • Holds wins over Jeremy Stephens, Chan Sung Jung and BJ Penn

CONTENDERS CLASH AT STRAWWEIGHT: NO. 10 RANKED CONTENDER MICHELLE WATERSON FACES OFF AGAINST NO. 11 AMANDA LEMOS

• Michelle Waterson (18-9, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) hopes to take down Lemos and make a run to the top of the rankings
  • Three wins by KO, nine by submission 
  • Eight first-round finishes
  • Holds wins over Angela Hill, Cortney Casey and Karolina Kowalkiewicz
• Amanda Lemos (11-2-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil) intends to defeat her first ranked opponent in the UFC
  • Seven wins by KO, two by submission 
  • Eight first-round finishes
  • Has won six of her last eight bouts
  • Holds wins over Montserrat Conejo, Livinha Souza and Mizuki

OTHER FIGHTS ON THE CARD INCLUDE

• Welterweight strikers No. 14 ranked Li Jingliang (18-7, fighting out of Beijing, China) and Muslim Salikhov (18-2, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) collide
• No. 8 ranked flyweight Matt Schnell (15-6, 1 NC, fighting out of Shreveport, La.) returns to action against No. 12 Sumudaerji (16-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
• No. 14 ranked featherweight Shane Burgos (14-3, fighting out of Monroe, N.Y.) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series alum Charles Jourdain (13-4, fighting out of Beloeil, Quebec, Canada)
• No. 3 ranked women’s flyweight Lauren Murphy (15-5, fighting out of Houston, Texas) intends to steal the show against former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate (19-8, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) 
• A thrilling middleweight bout sees Punahele Soriano (8-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) take on Dalcha Lungiambula (11-4, fighting out of Cape Town, South Africa)
• Top 15 bantamweights lock horns as No. 13 ranked Ricky Simon (19-3, fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) faces undefeated No. 14 Jack Shore (16-0, fighting out of Abertillery, Wales, UK)
• Bill Algeo (15-6, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) and Herbert Burns (11-3, fighting out of Lantana, Fla. by way of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meet in an exciting featherweight bout
• No. 15 ranked light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby (17-5-1, fighting out of Springfield, Ill.) has his sights set on defending his spot in the rankings against Da-un Jung (15-2-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea)
• Dwight Grant (11-5, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) makes his UFC middleweight debut against Dustin Stoltzfus (13-4, fighting out of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)
• No. 14 ranked women’s strawweight Jessica Penne (14-6, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) takes on Emily Ducote (17-11, fighting out of Oklahoma City, Okla.) in her UFC debut