UFC Mexico City main card betting preview & UFC tips | Fight Night

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Royval is stacked with North American talent who will be supported by a boisterous crowd from Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

Local hero Yair Rodriguez will be out for redemption after losing the interim featherweight crown when he tackles Brian Ortega, newcomers Daniel Zellhuber and Francisco Prado will be hunting respect, and prodigy Raul Rosas Jr. has drawn a favourable matchup versus Ricky Turcios.
Read on for our full tips and analysis.

Brandon Moreno v Brandon Royval fight analysis

Brandon Moreno vs Brandon Royval

Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval will vie for another tilt at the silverware in a rematch of their 2020 contest. See the full betting preview and tips for the headliner fight here.

Yair Rodriguez v Brian Ortega fight preview

Yair Rodriguez vs Brian Ortega

Yair Rodriguez (16-4-0) came up short in his recent attempt to unify the featherweight title, suffering a third-round TKO to Alexander Volkanovski. The 31-year-old had acquired the interim title with a win over Josh Emmitt in February 2023, but was no match for the heavy strikes landed by the Australian. Rodriguez met Ortega in July 2022, claiming a hollow victory when a round-one retirement ended the bout. The Mexican will enjoy tremendous home crowd support here and will be out to impress the Mexican fans with a vintage display that shows off his full range of MMA skills.

Brian Ortega (15-3-0) has not fought since the unfortunate stoppage loss to Rodriguez and should be fresh, if not a little rusty, for this showdown. The 34-year-old has dropped three of his last four bouts, including a five-round beat down at the hands of Volkanovski. He has faced the very best talents in the 145-pound division, and a return to form here will remind the UFC of his prodigious talents. The American has an excellent submission game and will be hunting takedown opportunities from the opening bell. He faces a reach disadvantage that might prove costly should this remain a standup war, but we have a sense he might pull off an upset here.

Daniel Zellhuber v Francisco Prado fight preview

Yair Rodriguez vs Brian Ortega

Daniel Zellhuber (14-1-0) made his UFC debut in September 2022, dropping a close decision result to Trey Ogden. The previously unbeaten Mexican bounced straight back into winning form with a pair of tidy wins to demonstrate he is worthy of the contract. The lanky 24-year-old will appreciate a huge eight-inch reach advantage here, albeit against a dangerous young opponent. If Zellhuber can establish an effective jab early, he should be able to frustrate the man opposite until additional striking opportunities arise.

Francisco Prado (12-1-0) has looked promising in his two UFC appearances, losing a close fight to Jamie Mullarkey, and knocking out Ottman Azaitar with a devastating flurry of punches. The Argentinian will need to close the distance to land his hooks and uppercuts, and it might be wise to target the long torso of Zellhuber in the opening exchanges. The 21-year-old has never faced a judging panel, with six wins via knockout and six via submission to show for his professional efforts. Against a shorter man, we would be very keen on his chances, but we are still happy to take the big odds with the leading bookmakers.

Raul Rosas Jr. v Ricky Turcios fight preview

Raul Rosas Jr. vs Ricky Turcios

Raul Rosas Jr. (8-1-0) was signed by the UFC as a 17-year-old with far too much confidence. A solid showing in Dana White’s Contender Series and an easy debut win led the American to believe that all-time greatness was a formality. This misconception was ruptured when Rosas Jr. received a terrible three-round beatdown at the hands of Christian Rodriguez. To his credit, the young man went back to work and scored an impressive TKO win on his return. He is an elite wrestler and looks to have drawn a favourable matchup here against an opponent with limited grappling abilities.

Ricky Turcios (13-3-0) is a volume striker with two wins and one loss at the UFC level. The 30-year-old can appear a little plodding at times and lacks the power to rattle sturdy opponents. Eight of his victories have come via the scorecards, and he can chip away for long periods if afforded the time and space to work. Turcios is unlikely to receive that luxury here against a talented wrestler who will be looking to apply relentless pressure.

Yazmin Jauregui v Sam Hughes fight preview

Yazmin Jauregui vs Sam Hughes

Yazmin Jauregui (10-1-0) is coming directly off her first professional loss, an early TKO versus Denise Gomes, and will be hungry for a bold showing. The Mexican might have been overconfident heading into the contest and was finished at the very first exchange of blows. Before this disappointment, the 24-year-old had looked like a potential top-ten candidate in the women’s strawweight division. She throws heavy hands and presses hard for finishes, with seven wins coming via TKO/KO. Fans and oddsmakers are expecting Jauregui to bounce back with a win in Mexico.

Sam Hughes (8-5-0) endured three straight losses during 2020 and 2021 but has turned around her form with three wins and one loss in her recent appearances. The American does not possess the same finishing power as her opponent but throws with solid volume and has some submission skills in her arsenal. She will need to slip the Jauregui punches and respond with effective counter strikes or takedowns if the underdog hopes to prevail. She has appeared confident in the build-up and might appear as a fresher athlete in the third round.

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