Jonathan Pearce is calling a first round finish over Christian Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 48: “The experience will be too much”

Jonathan Pearce plans to show Christian Rodriguez that there are levels to this game.

Pearce was supposed to fight Austin Lingo at UFC Vegas 48. However, Lingo was forced to withdraw from the contest and the undefeated fighter in Rodriguez stepped up. Although Rodriguez is undefeated and even won the Contender Series, Pearce doesn’t think he’s on his level and he’ll show that with a first-round finish.

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“His fight on the Contender Series was actually against my teammate so I helped him train for that fight,” Pearce said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I know him so I’m pretty confident and I’m calling first-round finish on this one. I haven’t gone over any game plans but this is my fourth fight in the UFC and this is his debut. The experience will be too much.”

Pearce believes his size and strength will be the difference-maker on Saturday night and is confident he’ll control Rodriguez on the ground. However, he isn’t sure if the stoppage will be by submission or TKO.

“It just depends, if I’m hitting him and I think his head can take it, if I think he can take the damage I’ll switch my game to the jiu-jitsu to the rear-naked. My strength is just an unfair advantage at featherweight,” Pearce explained.

If Jonathan Pearce defeats Christian Rodriguez by stoppage, it would be his third win in a row with all of them coming by finish. It would also make him undefeated in the UFC at featherweight which he believes would be big. However, he says he doesn’t care who is next as all he cares about is staying active.

“I want to fight three or four times this year especially if I go unscathed in this fight, I’ll be ready to go again soon. I’m cool with rebooking the Lingo fight or maybe facing Gabriel Benitez if he wins as he has been matched up, but to be honest, I think I’m past both of them with a win here, I think I smash both of these guys. Honestly, I would like a few more fights before I get ranked guys, but I’ll take whatever they give me,” Pearce concluded.

Do you think Jonathan Pearce will finish Christian Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 48?