Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa pick, time, odds: UFC Denver

Christian Rodriguez and Julian Erosa meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 59 from Ball Arena in Denver. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 2-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 54-51-2

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 preview

Rodriguez (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) looks to extend a four-fight winning streak in his second appearance of 2024. “CeeRod” edged out a split decision over Isaac Dulgarian in March. A 2021 Dana White’s Contender Series veteran who did not immediately reach the UFC after his appearance on the show, entered after winning another regional fight. Rodriguez lost his UFC debut, but has since won four in a row. … Erosa (29-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) aims to keep the momentum going from a first-round submission of Ricardo Ramos in March, and also stay above .500 in the UFC. Erosa is also a DWCS veteran who appeared in 2018 to kickstart his second stint in the UFC. After dropping three straight, he exited again, and rejoined the promotion for his third run in 2020. He has since built a record of 6-3.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 expert pick, prediction

Serving as a solid featherweight action fight is a matchup between Rodriguez and Erosa.

Despite traditionally fighting at bantamweight, Rodriguez continues to fight at 145 pounds after some mishaps with the scale. But that aside, Rodriguez has been an absolute treat to watch from an analyst’s perspective.

Aside from having some really sharp techniques, Rodriguez fights with a level of composure and experience well beyond the years on his official resume. Nevertheless, Rodriguez will still likely have his hands full, given Erosa’s size and skills.

Erosa may bear a striking resemblance to Cameron from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” but don’t let that fool you: Erosa is an underrated talent and a deceptively dangerous test for any featherweight on the roster.

Erosa’s kryptonite has long been his ability to take shots given the amount of first-round stoppages in his loss column. But if Erosa can survive the early storms, he’s traditionally been a tough customer from bell to bell.

Perhaps my Xtreme Couture bias is admittedly bleeding in a bit here, but I’ll take a flier on Erosa to dig out close and competitive decision on the scorecards.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the younger fighter, listing Rodriguez -225 and Erosa +180 via FanDuel.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa UFC on ESPN 59 start time, how to watch

As the featured bout, Rodriguez and Erosa are expected to make their walks to the cage at approximately 10:35 p.m. ET (8:35 p.m. local time in Denver). The fight airs on ESPN and streams live on ESPN+.