Former interim featherweight champion, Yair Rodríguez hs sights set on a rematch with incoming title challenger, Ilia Topuria after their respective outings at UFC Mexico City and UFC 298 next month – claiming he will “catch” the Georgian if they share the Octagon together.
Rodríguez, who makes his return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night Mexico City in late February, taking on former title challenger, Brian Ortega in a rematch of their one round clash back in 2022 at UFC Fight Night Long Island.
As for Topuria, the unbeaten Georgian contender is in the midst of a stunning winning rise through the featherweight ranks, and is slated to headline UFC 298 next month to boot, taking on soon-to-be common-foe, undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s grudge title fight.
Yair Rodríguez eyes title showdown with Ilia Topuria
And searching for a future title fight with Topuria should he emerge with a win over Volkanovski at UFC 298 next month, Chihuahua native, Rodríguez reveals he wants to fight the former in the future, taking umbrage with comments made on his July title fight performance against Volkanovski last summer.
“The one who started to provoke was Ilia (Topuria), he said that I looked like a rag [against Alexander Volkanovski],” Yair Rodríguez told ESPN Deportes. “I said let’s see who catches you and see who the rag is. Maybe it’s not time, I found the video and it’s energy seemed so similar to me, pretending to do something that wants to demonstrate a facet of security. But it doesn’t deceive me with everything it says.”
First taking on the above-mentioned Californian, Ortega back in the summer of 2022, Rodríguez landed a first round TKO win over the former, who suffered a shoulder injury during an early grappling exchange with Rodríguez.
Who wins in a future title fight: Yair Rodríguez or Ilia Topuria?