Zhang Weili only needed three UFC wins to earn a shot at the strawweight championship, and undefeated Brazilian prospect Marina Rodriguez sees that as a model for her own run towards the gold.
Rodriguez impressed the UFC brass with a first-round beatdown of Maria Oliveira at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, and next year, she won decisions over experienced veterans Jessica Aguilar and Tecia Torres. Rodriguez’s rise hasn’t been perfect – she fought to draws against Randa Markos and Cynthia Calvillo – but nothing drives her away from her ultimate goal.