It’s going down at 155 pounds on Saturday night, as Rafa Garcia takes on Rongzhu at Noche UFC: Silva vs. Garcia in Glendale, Arizona.
Garcia (19–4, 7–4 UFC) is riding a three-fight surge, capped by a unanimous decision win against Alexander Hernandez in April. Rongzhu (28–6, 3–3 UFC) has also won three in a row, punctuated by a first-round knockout win over Victor Martinez in Road to UFC in May.
Rongzhu enters as a -170 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Garcia is a +142 underdog, with the fight total set at O/U 2.5 rounds.
Garcia vs. Rongzhu Preview
Rafa Garcia
- 19–4 (7–4 UFC)
- 2–1 (T)KO
- 8–0 SUB
Mexico’s Rafa Garcia is looking to build on his recent momentum at Noche UFC. The 32-year-old lightweight has won three straight bouts following his commanding decision win over Alexander Hernandez earlier this year.
“Gifted” Grafa pairs solid boxing with a formidable ground game, averaging north of three takedowns per 15 minutes. And while he hasn’t recorded many inside the Octagon, Garcia heads into Glendale with eight pro wins by submission.
Rongzhu
- 28–6 (3–3 UFC)
- 16–1 (T)KO
- 6–4 SUB
Talk about a comeback. Chinese prospect Rongzhu has won seven of eight fights since getting cut by the UFC in early 2022. “The Yama King” scored a second chance in the promotion by prevailing in Road to UFC’s Season 2 lightweight tournament in 2024, and he’s gone 3–1 since returning to the Octagon.
The City Kickboxing product, 26, heads into Noche UFC with aggressive striking and serious stoppage prowess, boasting a 79 percent finish rate with 16 knockouts. But while he wields strong takedown defense, Rongzhu has struggled against submission specialists in the past; four of his six pro losses have come by tap-out. He’ll likely want to keep things standing against the grapple-heavy Rafa Garcia.
Garcia vs. Rongzhu Pick, Best Bet
It’s bizarre how heavily-favored this bout is to go the distance. Rongzhu is fresh off his 16th career knockout and 22nd pro finish, now entering Saturday night with a clear striking advantage against veteran Rafa Garcia. However, the latter is uniquely dangerous in this spot, given his lethal submission arsenal paired with Rongzhu’s tap-out history. At near +200 odds, there’s tantalizing value in backing this lightweight clash to go under 2.5 rounds.
