Former UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier looks to end a two-fight losing streak as he takes on rising contender Gregory Rodrigues in the main event at UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with prelims at 4 p.m. on ESPN+).
Cannonier, ESPN's No. 9-ranked middleweight, challenged then-champion Israel Adesanya for the belt at UFC 276 in July 2022 but has struggled to string together wins since. He is 2-2 in his last four bouts, including losses in his last two fights against Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, respectively.
Rodrigues, unranked by ESPN, enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak, including a win over Christian Leroy Duncan most recently.
Brett Okamoto spoke to ESPN analyst and veteran MMA coach Din Thomas to get his perspective on the UFC main event. ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight and analysis on the main event and other intriguing bets he likes on the card.
Editor's note: Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
