After an action-packed event last weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is back with another exciting event. UFC Vegas 42 will take place inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on 13th November. The fight card of the event is stacked with many amazing bouts.

The five-round featherweight war between Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez inside the cage will headline the event. ‘Blessed’ is fresh from his recent win over Calvin Kattar and will be back in action in the pursuit of featherweight gold.

‘El Pantera’ will return to the octagon after a long hiatus. He is going into the fight on the back of a win against Jeremy Stephens (2019). He is currently #3 in the featherweight division. And he will look to secure a win against Holloway in order to fast-track his journey to the gold strap.

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On the other hand, for Holloway, who sits at the #1 position on the roster, a win against Rodriguez might secure him a title fight against the champion next. All in all, a win in this fight is important for both the featherweight combatants.

So ahead of this intriguing featherweight bout, let’s compare the careers, strengths, and weaknesses of the fighters, in an attempt to predict how the fight might end.

Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez- the Featherweight War

The former featherweight champion Max Holloway is one of the most prominent names in the UFC and has a 22-6 professional record. He is a skilled finisher with ten knockouts and two submission wins under his name.

Meanwhile, ‘El Pantera’ has an MMA resume of 14-2 to his name. He has five knockouts and three submission wins under his name. And he was on an amazing six-fight win streak before his first UFC loss.

Coming into the fight, ‘El Pantera’ has a two-inch reach advantage over Holloway. However, the latter lands an impressive 7.26 strikes per minute, which is a concerning number for the Mexican as he takes an average of 3.13 strikes per minute.

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Holloway is a vicious striker and with a 71% takedown accuracy and an 80% takedown defense rate, he also has a good ground game. Furthermore, ‘Blessed’ has faced many high-caliber fighters previously. Hence, it will be an advantage over Rodriguez.

‘El Pantera’ was away from the octagon for almost two years. Hence, he might face a ring rust situation in the fight. And considering Holloway’s knockout wins, he might find an early finish in this fight too.

Final Prediction: Max Holloway defeats Yair Rodriguez via knockout