UFC Mexico: Yair Rodriguez a slight favorite to beat Brian Ortega again

Despite the abrupt ending to their first fight, oddsmakers still favor Yair Rodriguez to beat Brian Ortega.

Featherweights Rodriguez (16-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Ortega (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will run things back in a five-round co-headliner of a UFC Fight Night event Feb. 24 in Mexico City, Mexico.

According to DraftKings, Rodriguez is -170 favorite, meaning a $170 bet would be needed on the former interim champion to return a $100 profit. Ortega is a +142 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on “T-City” would win $142.

Rodriguez and Ortega (15-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) squared off in the UFC on ABC 3 headliner in July 2022. Rodriguez won by first-round TKO after Ortega suffered a shoulder injury during a grappling exchange.

Ortega, who will look to snap a two-fight losing skid, hasn’t competed since then. Rodriguez is coming off a title-unification loss to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski this past July at UFC 290.