The list of former UFC heavyweight champions who are actively fighting outside of the UFC is minimal, and of those on the list, few have the recent credentials of outsider Ricco Rodriguez, currently riding a 10-match winning streak.
But don’t expect him in the immediate future inside the UFC Octagon, even if he records another win this Saturday at BAMMA 5.
“The reality is that the opportunity is not there at the present time,” Rodriguez said in an exclusive interview with MMAFighting.com. “That’s just the reality of it. There’s no reason to beat that subject, and the truth of the matter is that I’m sure the fans would love to see me back in the UFC. It’s just right now the opportunity doesn’t strike itself.”