Marina Rodriguez Coach: Gym, Teammates, and All About UFC Star’s Training

Marina Rodriguez is set to clash against former women’s strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade on April 13 at the historic UFC 300 card! Currently ranked #6 in the women’s strawweight rankings, Rodriguez has her eyes set on the number 4 spot in the division, held by Andrade. A win over the former champion would allow Rodriguez to make her claim for a shot at the strawweight title in the future.

Rodriguez’s last appearance inside the Octagon was against Michelle Waterson-Gomez at UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Gamrot in 2023 where she finished the fight in the second round after a brutal beatdown of her opponent. Now, as she gears up to take on a former champion, let’s take a look and explore all we know about her gym, coaches, training, and teammates ahead of her UFC 300 bout!

Marina Rodriguez trains under coach Marcio Malko at CT Thai Brasil Floripa

Marina Rodriguez was born in Brazil in 1987. The 36-year-old has two siblings and her brother Roberto is also an accomplished athlete as he is a 2-time Parapan American Games gold medal-winning swimmer. Rodriguez began her athletic career in her youth as she played football, basketball, and handball but her start in MMA came later in life.

According to information available online, Rodriguez was working as a graphic designer when she started to look for a way to lose some weight and change her lifestyle. This led to her finding her way to a Muay Thai class in 2013 and marked the beginning of her martial arts journey.

The Brazilian fighter started her professional MMA career in 2015 and compiled a record of 9-0 in her home country before getting a shot at competing in Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil. She won her fight on the show, leading to her UFC debut in 2018 against Randa Markos.

She currently trains out of CT Thai Brasil Floripa, according to information available on Tapology. Her head coach is Marcio Malko who has also trained names like Igor Soares, Matheus Fayad, and Carlos Conceica.

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Rodriguez holds notable victories in the UFC over names like Mackenzie Dern, Yan Xiaonan, and Amanda Ribas. And at UFC 300, she’ll be looking to fight her way through the dangerous Jessica Andrade to make her way to the top of the women’s strawweight division!

Rodriguez and Andrade battle set to be an action-packed showdown

The UFC 300 showdown between Marina Rodriguez and Jessica Andrade will feature two Brazilians going head to head to determine who will continue their momentum towards the women’s strawweight belt.

Jessica Andrade is coming off a stunning knockout victory over Mackenzie Dern at UFC 295 last year which won her the ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus. The former champion was on a 3 fight skid prior to the finish against Dern.

It’s interesting to note that Rodriguez herself was also on a 2 fight skid before finishing Michelle Waterson-Gomez in 2023, and so, with both fighters eager to continue their winning streaks, the UFC 300 showdown promises to deliver an intense and captivating spectacle

For Rodriguez, every fight is just a stepping stone towards the UFC gold. In an interview with UFC.com in 2022, she stated, “My main goal is to be the champion, so I must show it in every fight, I must evolve every day to get there and be the champion”, a sentiment that will undoubtedly drive her in the Octagon on April 13.

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