Marina Rodriguez emerged as a strawweight contender in her first UFC main event. Rodriguez faced former Invicta FC champion Michelle Waterson in a flyweight bout, which headlined UFC on ESPN 24 in May. Fresh off her upset knockout win over Amanda Ribas, Rodriguez showed off her power early by landing a few solid shots to the chin of Waterson. “The Karate Hottie” used an array of kicks ranging from low to side kicks to keep Rodriguez at bay, but the power difference was evident in the first two rounds. Rodriguez ramped up the aggression in Round 3, backing Waterson against the cage with a barrage of punches. Waterson fired back with some hard leg kicks, but she was bloodied and battered by the end of the round.