Marina Rodriguez had to fight out of some dangerous spots on Saturday during her matchup against Mackenzie Dern, but once Rodriguez found her groove, she took over the fight and earned the biggest win of her UFC career.
Rodriguez made a statement in January when she scored an impressive second-round knockout win over the favored Amanda Ribas. She followed that with a flyweight win over Michelle Waterson before earning a win over Dern in the main event of UFC Vegas 39.
Rodriguez might have been an afterthought in the strawweight division at the start of this year, but through her efforts inside the octagon, she has shined a spotlight on herself and she has now positioned herself as a potential title challenger in 2022.