Tale of the Tape
Result Summary
Felipe Franco stopped Levi Rodrigues via KO/TKO at 1:40 of round two in their light heavyweight preliminary bout at UFC Fight Night: du Plessis vs. Usman in Oklahoma City on July 18, 2026. Franco secured the finish in the second round, denying Rodrigues a winning start to his UFC career. Rodrigues had entered the Octagon undefeated with all of his professional victories coming by stoppage, making his promotional debut. Franco returned to the light heavyweight division for the win, having lost his promotional debut at heavyweight earlier in 2026.
Fight Overview
Undefeated Contender Series graduate Levi Rodrigues makes his UFC debut at light heavyweight against fellow Brazilian Felipe Franco, who carries a 10-2 professional record into the Octagon. The all-Brazil matchup serves as an immediate litmus test for Rodrigues, who must prove his undefeated run translates to the highest level against an experienced and determined Franco.
Keys to Victory
Felipe Franco
- Impose his undefeated confidence and use his physical tools aggressively from the first exchange.
- Look for early takedowns or clinch opportunities to keep Franco from settling into a rhythm.
- Finish the fight early and make a statement to announce himself on the UFC light heavyweight stage.
Levi Rodrigues
- Use his UFC experience to keep the fight composed and avoid getting drawn into reckless exchanges.
- Work behind his jab and use footwork to manage the rangy and aggressive Rodrigues.
- Capitalize on Rodrigues debut nerves by staying patient and countering his aggressive entries.
Last 5 fights
Felipe Franco
- L Mário Pinto
- W Douglas Felipe Santos
- W Kleberson Tavares
- L Freddy Vidal
- W Murilo dos Santos Ferreira
Levi Rodrigues
- W Freddy Vidal
- W Alan Ribeiro
- W Jhonny Pereira
- W Jose Carlos Lima
- W Leonardo Genuino
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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.