Joshua Weems
"Wide Open"Career Averages
Loss Methods (1)
Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Rodriguez | 0 | 9 of 23 | 39% | 15 of 30 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:56 |
| Joshua Weems | 0 | 18 of 26 | 69% | 22 of 32 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:03 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Rodriguez | 0 | 9 of 23 | 39% | 15 of 30 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:56 |
| Joshua Weems | 0 | 18 of 26 | 69% | 22 of 32 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:03 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Rodriguez | 9 of 23 | 39% | 8 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 8 of 21 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
| Joshua Weems | 18 of 26 | 69% | 9 of 15 | 6 of 7 | 3 of 4 | 12 of 19 | 6 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Rodriguez | 9 of 23 | 39% | 8 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 8 of 21 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
| Joshua Weems | 18 of 26 | 69% | 9 of 15 | 6 of 7 | 3 of 4 | 12 of 19 | 6 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
An Apex-level UFC card with two ranked competitors on its entire billing will sate the appetite of fight fans on this busy day in the combat sports world. The show begins with a de facto catchweight contest, as Rodriguez (7-1, 0-1 UFC) was expecting to face Garrett Armfield but now squares off with late replacement Weems (11-2, 0-0 UFC) on short notice – Weems clocked at 139.5 pounds, or 3.5 pounds above the bantamweight cap. With Rodriguez taking a piece of Weems’ fight purse, the match continues, and it will carry on under the watchful eye of referee Chris Tognoni. Glad to still be fighting today, Rodriguez still offers a glove touch, and his opponent accepts it to get the night underway. Weems stays active on the outside when it begins, hopping back and forth, but it is Rodriguez to start the offense as he tags the newcomer with a left hand over the top. As Weems resets and circles awkwardly, Rodriguez slowly works his way forward and pops him with a single right hook. Weems responds with a kick to the body, and Rodriguez catches it and spins with a back fist to smack Weems upside the head. Weems shakes it out and darts in and out, allowing “CeeRod” to time a flying knee that glances off the dome. They clinch up, and Weems slashes an elbow from up close to keep Rodriguez honest. Weems spins around, drills Rodriguez with an elbow and a few punches, and shoots low for a single off the body lock. Rodriguez stands him up and leans with his back to the wall, and the revolving clinch continues as both men jockey for position. Weems gets off a short knee, drawing an immediate reaction out of Rodriguez in the form of an intended trip from the body lock. As Rodriguez continues to try to leverage the fight down, he inadvertently falls to his back. Weems tries to take advantage of this misstep, but Rodriguez jumps back up. Weems wants to keep the fight horizontal, and he pulls guard to drag Rodriguez down. Rodriguez stands back up and intends on backing off, and Weems catches him with an upkick before standing. Rodriguez gets backed to the wall, and Weems drags him to the floor.
This is not to the newcomer’s advantage, as Rodriguez reverses him in a hurry and wraps his arms around the neck. “CeeRod” slithers himself into a position where he quickly secures an anaconda choke, and he rolls through it to turn Weems and his neck to a bad and likely uncomfortable angle. Weems tries to grit it out, but the fighters are still relatively dry and the grip strength is unbearable.
Before too long, Weems is forced to surrender, and Rodriguez is now in the win column as a UFC fighter.
The Official Result
Christian Rodriguez def. Joshua Weems R1 4:07 via Submission (Anaconda Choke)
Expert Picks (7)
Big Brady picks Christian Rodriguez to win by second-round knockout. He notes that Rodriguez is on a full camp while Weems is on short notice, and that Rodriguez has shown good cardio and power, as seen in his fight against Jonathan Pierce. He believes Rodriguez will keep the fight standing and break Weems down with volume and power, as Weems primarily wins by submission off his back and is unlikely to get takedowns against Rodriguez.
Cody picks Christian Rodriguez, praising his striking and grappling. He notes Rodriguez's impressive performance against JSP on short notice and believes he is a solid prospect. Cody criticizes Joshua Weems' bare-knuckle boxing background and his loss to Fernie Garcia on the Contender Series. He expects Rodriguez to score a significant knockout early.
Connor picks Weems with a lean, agreeing with Zane that Weems's aggression and power could be decisive. He notes that Rodriguez has a tendency to let opponents dictate the fight, and Weems will try to dictate. Connor also mentions that Rufus Sport fighters often have a sparring mentality and struggle when the fight gets violent, which favors Weems.
Daniel Levi picks Christian Rodriguez, comparing him to Emmanuel Sanchez. He praises Rodriguez's technical striking, scrambling, and toughness, noting his close fight with JSP on short notice. He views Weems as less fundamentally sound and lacking volume. He regrets missing the opener at -160 and will not bet at -350.
Rodriguez has great takedown defense and striking combinations, while Weems relies on submissions from bottom position. Rodriguez's move to Fight Ready MMA in Arizona should improve his game. Weems is likely not UFC caliber and will struggle with Rodriguez's distance management and power. Expect a knockout victory for Rodriguez.
Paul picks Christian Rodriguez, noting his sharp striking and opportunistic grappling. He mentions that Rodriguez looked good against JSP despite the loss. Paul is unimpressed with Weems' resume and believes Rodriguez will intercept him if Weems doesn't get the grappling going early.
Zane picks Weems with a lean, citing his better athleticism and aggression. He notes that Rodriguez is a weird, funky striker with questionable application and a flashy grappling game that doesn't always put him in good positions. Zane believes Weems's brawling style and power could overwhelm Rodriguez, who tends to let opponents dictate the pace.
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