Marina Rodriguez has had an certainly brutal several days main into her initial-ever UFC headlining role.
Presently preventing on short notice Saturday towards Michelle Waterson in the flyweight main function of UFC Combat Night time, Rodriguez has also experienced to endure a series of travel issues, together with a 20-hour journey working day that landed her in the host town two days afterwards than common.
Rodriguez vs. Waterson was not agreed on right up until April 27 and not made formal by the UFC until this past Tuesday. The first Fight Night main celebration this weekend was meant to be a bantamweight contender bout among previous winner TJ Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen, but Dillashaw withdrew thanks to an injuries.
In the meantime, because of to the small-observe mother nature of the bout and logistical challenges relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rodriguez was not in a position to get her visa to enter the United States until Wednesday, her manager, Tiago Okamura, advised ESPN. Rodriguez then raced from the U.S. consulate in Porto Alegre, Brazil, to the airport, where airline workers practically did not permit her board the aircraft for the reason that of coronavirus-relevant journey constraints.
Just after showing valid credentials, Rodriguez was ultimately allowed to get on board. It took 20 hours of vacation, which include layovers in Sao Paulo and Houston, but she at last designed it to Las Vegas at 11 a.m. Thursday morning. Typically, UFC fighters get there for struggle months on Tuesday for Saturday activities. Rodriguez missed UFC Battle Evening media working day and other usual combat-week activities. Okamura reported she was examined for COVID-19 3 instances prior to travel and then tested all over again when she arrived at the host lodge in Vegas on Thursday.
Rodriguez (13-1-2) has just a person decline in 6 UFC fights. ESPN has her rated No. 6 in the globe at strawweight, even though this combat will choose location a division up at flyweight due to the timing. Rodriguez, 34, is coming off a 2nd-spherical TKO get about prospect Amanda Ribas in January. Her only UFC loss arrived from former champion Carla Esparza.
Waterson (18-8), nicknamed “The Karate Hottie,” is ESPN’s No. 9-ranked strawweight. She is coming off a break up-choice earn more than Angela Hill last September. Waterson, 35, is 1 of the most well-liked woman fighters on the UFC roster.
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