Preview: UFC 261 Prelims

Lightweights

NR | Zhu Rong (16-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. NR | Rodrigo Vargas (11-4, 0-2 UFC)

ODDS: Rong (-255), Vargas (+215)

It is something of a surprise to see Vargas back for a third UFC assignment. Mexico’s Vargas was signed as a late-notice opponent for Alex da Silva Coelho in 2019 and showed little in that affair. He fared better in his sophomore effort against Brok Weaver in early 2020 but then decided to throw a blatantly illegal knee that ended his night with a disqualification loss. The UFC has released better fighters for less, but instead, Vargas gets another chance to prove himself gatekeeper worthy against a Chinese newcomer. Rong turned pro as a teenager, which means he is an experienced and poised fighter despite having just turned 21 years of age. He has shown a little bit of everything on the regional scene. He has knockout power and some solid grappling skills for the region, along with some durability and grit. The main question is exactly how well his wrestling can translate from the Chinese circuit to the UFC level, and Vargas is a solid first test in that regard. He has enough wrestling to get by, but he is likely to get stalled out if Rong’s takedown defense is even decent for this level. Add in that Vargas does not have a particularly deep gas tank, and Rong should be able to turn things around to eventually score a finish. The pick is Rong via second-round knockout.

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