The UFC Vegas 81: Yusuff vs. Barboza Main Card is finally here and we’ll be bringing you a prediction and pick for the opening bout, taking place in the Bantamweight (135 lb) Division. Roufusport MMA’s own Christian Rodriguez will take on the rising prospect Cameron Saaiman of South Africa. This opening fight is bound to set the tone for the rest of the card! Check out our UFC odds series for our Rodriguez-Saaiman prediction and pick.

Christian Rodriguez (9-1) comes into this fight with a 2-1 record in the UFC. At 25 years old, he’s shaping up to be a prospect with a ton of potential and he’s seen success now in back-to-back fights. Most recently, Rodriguez picked up an impressive unanimous decision win over hyped-star Raul Rosas Jr. The win is aging gracefully and Rodriguez will hope to take on Saaiman after dropping out of their first meeting due to a weight miss. Rodriguez stands 5’7″ with a 71.5-inch reach.

Cameron Saaiman (9-0) comes in with a perfect 3-0 record in his UFC career. He now owns wins over Steven Koslow, Mana Martinez, and most recently Terrance Mitchell. Saaiman took his last bout on short notice after Rodriguez missed weight, so there will be an added motivation for him to teach Rodriguez a lesson here. Cameron Saaiman stands 5’8″ with a 67-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Vegas 81 Odds: Christian Rodriguez-Cameron Saaiman Odds

Christian Rodriguez: -164

Cameron Saaiman: +128

Over 2.5 rounds: -180

Under 2.5 rounds: +140

How to Watch Christian Rodriguez vs. Cameron Saaiman

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN+, Watch ESPN

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Christian Rodriguez Will Win

Christian Rodriguez garnered a ton of respect in his last fight as he completely derailed the hype train behind Raul Rosas Jr.. While Rosas Jr. had high hopes of blazing through the competition, Rodriguez proved that there’s levels to this game and established himself as a dangerous contender in this division. He’s fought at both 145 and 155 in the past, so there’s no surprise as to why he may have had issues with this 135-pound cut in the past. Everyone is hoping Rodriguez can make weight ahead of this bout as it could shape up to be a Fight of the Night candidate. Christian Rodriguez is no stranger to this spot and his UFC competition up to this point should keep him collected in this fight.

To win this fight, Christian Rodriguez will have to land hard counter shots on Cameron Saaiman and earn his respect immediately. Saaiman fights with a ton of confidence, but he’s been very hittable in what we’ve seen from him so far. Rodriguez has great power in his punches and with three wins by knockout, can certainly shut the lights off. Rodriguez is also very skilled with his grappling and could prove to be the stronger fighter. Three years is a solid difference at this young age, so expect Rodriguez to be in control in the clinch and grappling along the fence. He’s listed as the favorite for a reason and his recent performance against a younger Raul Rosas Jr. could be an indication as to how this fight will play out.

Why Cameron Saaiman Will Win

Cameron Saaiman didn’t bat an eye when Christian Rodriguez missed weight for their bout back in July and instead went out and got the first round finish over Terrance Mitchell with his fists. While Mitchell stepped in late and was the massive underdog, it was still good to see Saaiman take care of business and show some patience while Mitchell unloaded his entire arsenal. As mentioned before, he’s susceptible to getting it simply due to his activity and movement in the cage. If Saaiman can focus on staying sound defensively while not wavering any of his output, he should see more success throughout fights and less back-and-forth wars. His fight against Mana Martinez was a close majority decision, so Saaiman will want to look for a definitive result in this one.

Cameron Saaiman will be the younger fighter here, but he’s been maturing drastically with each passing fight. At times, he’ll force himself into unnecessary and compromising positions, but does an equally good job of escaping and getting back to his feet. Against Rodriguez, Saaiman may not have as much room for error as he’s a fearsome counter puncher. Look for Saaiman to be active in the wrestling scrambles and turning towards his jiu jitsu if he finds himself in a bad spot.

Final Christian Rodriguez-Cameron Saaiman Prediction & Pick

This fight has been on a lot of radars ever since it was announced earlier in the Summer, so it’s great to finally see these two meeting inside of the cage. Both fighters possess awesome technical abilities for their age and we’ll truly be seeing the future of this division as the two square off. I’d give the edge to Christian Rodriguez ever so slightly due to his power on the feet and craftiness in the submission game. He’ll have a decent reach advantage on Saaiman and could do some serious damage if he sticks his stiff jab clean all fight. He’s also got great takedown defense and will certainly look like the physically stronger fighter here. Let’s take Christian Rodriguez to grab the win for our final prediction.

Final Christian Rodriguez-Cameron Saaiman Prediction & Pick: Christian Rodriguez (-164)