Preview: UFC Fight Night 241 Prelims

Bantamweights

Kleydson Rodrigues (8-3, 1-2 UFC) vs. Heili Alateng (16-9-2, 4-2-1 UFC)

ODDS: Rodrigues (-155), Alateng (+130)

A well-matched fight should help sort out this piece of the bantamweight puzzle. Rodrigues was a fascinating flyweight prospect at one point, particularly after his contract-earning win on the Contender Series in 2021. A bit of an unknown at the time, the Brazilian looked like an absolutely electric athlete while shutting down his opponent. Rodrigues’ style was and is quite athleticism-dependent, as he tends to try single dynamic techniques rather than anything consistent, but he looked like the rare level of athlete who could make that work even in the deep flyweight waters. However, Rodrigues dropped his UFC debut to C.J. Vergara, who absorbed the Brazilian’s offense and dragged him into a tough fight, and after rebounding with a quick knockout over Shannon Ross, weight cut issues eventually forced him into a full-time move up to bantamweight. His first fight at 135 pounds didn’t go particularly great—he looked fast and dynamic for a few moments up until the point that Farid Basharat quickly took him down and submitted him—and Rodrigues gets a difficult rebound assignment against Alateng. China’s Alateng is an underrated fighter in a deep division, as inactivity and poor card placement have kept him under the radar relative to his successful results. “The Mongolian Knight” makes his hay as a hard hitter, even if he struggles to pick up the pace at times. While 2022 saw him shell Kevin Croom and Chad Anheliger, Alateng accomplished little against dedicated neutralizer Chris Gutierrez in his lone fight of 2023. This one might stay at a simmer as these two pick each other apart from range. Rodrigues’ athleticism may carry him to a victory, but the Chinese fighter is proven enough as a power puncher—and his opponent is enough of a question mark at 135 pounds—that Alateng gets the benefit of the doubt. The pick is Alateng via decision.

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