Rising flyweight prospects collide on Saturday night, as undefeated Imanol Rodriguez faces Alden Coria at UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Rodriguez (7–0, 1–0 UFC) overcame adversity in his Octagon debut in February, battling back to secure a second-round TKO win over Kevin Borjas. Coria (13–3, 3–0 UFC) is unbeaten in his last seven fights following his commanding decision win over Stewart Nicoll in July.
Rodriguez enters as a -155 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Coria is a +130 underdog, with the fight total set at O/U 2.5 rounds.
Imanol Rodriguez vs. Alden Coria Fight Preview
Imanol Rodriguez
- 7–0 (1–0 UFC)
- 6–0 (T)KO
- 1–0 SUB
Undefeated prospect Imanol Rodriguez punched his ticket to MMA’s flagship promotion with a first-round stoppage on Dana White’s Contender Series. He then proved he belonged in the big leagues with a resilient debut against Kevin Borjas earlier this year. After nearly getting knocked out in the opening frame, “Himan” rallied to record a second-round TKO.
With the win, Rodriguez remained undefeated and preserved his 100 percent finish rate. The Mexican prospect, 26, is violence personified — marching into Saturday night with relentless forward pressure and explosive hands. He’s not afraid to take things to the ground, either. The Daniel Cormier protege will look to push the pace, overwhelm the less aggressive Alden Coria, and extend his highlight reel at UFC 332.
Alden Coria
- 13–3 (3–0 UFC)
- 5–0 (T)KO
- 4–1 SUB
Alden Coria has looked right at home since stepping into the Octagon. The Tennessee native, 28, has extended his unbeaten streak to seven with three straight UFC victories. Within the promotion, he’s flashed not only stoppage prowess but also comfortability in drawing out fights to win on the scorecards.
“Cobra,” who trains with flyweight champion Joshua Van, has often led the dance behind his impressive fight IQ. He’s extremely tough to hit, absorbing only 2.21 significant strikes per minute — which, if qualified (min. five UFC fights), would rank sixth among active flyweights. He also has a solid ground game to fall back on. At UFC 332, Coria will likely lean on that technical prowess against the aggressive Imanol Rodriguez — an effort aided by his extra four inches of height and three inches of reach.
Imanol Rodriguez vs. Alden Coria Pick, Best Bet
Alden Coria’s training sessions with Joshua Van — one of the most aggressive fighters in UFC history — should come in handy as he looks to weather an oncoming blitz from Imanol Rodriguez. While still undefeated, “Himan” has shown that he’s beatable, nearly getting finished early in his most recent outing. “Cobra” has the technical prowess — and a serious reach advantage — to expose those cracks and hand Rodriguez his first pro loss.
