Marina Rodriguez Ethnicity/Nationality: All About the UFC Strawweight’s Parents and Background

Marina Rodriguez is all set to take up Jessica Andrade at the historic UFC 300 on April 13th. This fight is going to take place during the early preliminary rounds of the coveted event. As Dana White already proclaimed, this year’s UFC cards are some of the best matches assembled.

The two Brazilian fighters prepare to fight against each other, and this is going to be a thrilling experience where Andrade is ranked 4 and will take on Rodriguez, ranked 6. Let’s take a look and explore more about ‘La Faraona’ and how she started her journey in UFC/ MMA.

The iconic Marina Rodriguez stands on top!

Marina Alcalde Rodriguez, 36, was born on April 29th, 1987, in Bage, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. She is a Brazilian mixed martial artist competing in the Strawweight Division in the UFC. As of January 2024, her ranking is number 6 in her division. She was born to Luis Rodriguez and Diva Rodriguez and has two siblings, Gabriel and Roberto. Similarly, her brother Roberto is also an athlete, a two-time paraben American Games Gold Medalist in swimming.

Marina Rodriguez has an impressive athletic background because she used to play basketball, soccer, volleyball, and handball in her youth. Finally, she drifted away from other sports and shows UFC in 2015. Surprisingly, she was also a graphic designer before entering her path as a fighter. The shift from an active lifestyle to a less active routine prompted her to embark on a career in combat sports.

During her time as a graphic designer, Marina Rodriguez gained weight and was looking to lose weight again. It is when, in 2013, she started training in Muay Thai, which ultimately led her to compete in amateur fights. After that, she gradually transitioned to the sport of MMA, making her professional debut in 2015.

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She had a record of 9-0 when she debuted and then competed with competing in the Contender Series Brazil. Her UFC debut was on September 22, 2018, against Randa Marcos. By the time she had started her professional MMA career, she was already 28 years of age. Unsurprisingly, it is pretty rare for fighters to start at an older age and thrive. However, she successfully achieved higher ranks and now stands at number 6. The fighter with 17-3-2 (W-L-D) and six wins by knockout has a unique fighting style. So, let’s dive deeper!

Fighting Style of Rodriguez

The strawweight contender has a killer base game, and she prefers striking more than grappling. She has a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu from 2018 and uses her grappling as a strength to win matches. She has had experience inside the octagon since 2018, and her skills have developed ever since.

While fighting against Vanessa Guimaraes, she won by submission after giving her an intense triangle choke in the second round during her fifth professional fight in 2016. Now she’s going to face Jessica Andrade, who has similar stats when it comes to fighting. Marina Rodriguez stands at about 4.77 SIG. STR. per minute with a 2.89 SIG. STR, according to the UFC.

Both have similar stats and, like everyone, have advantages and disadvantages. Who do you think climbs to the top of UFC 300? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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