Yair Rodriguez isn’t going to trash Conor McGregor, but will ‘go kick his ass’

Even before Yair Rodriguez dismantled B.J. Penn with definitive ease at UFC Fight Night 103 earlier this year, the 24-year-old was widely considering one of the best rising contenders in mixed martial arts. Starching a legend like Penn certainly helped pad his resume, but “El Pantera” was already moving needles before 2017. And while Rodriguez isn’t going to try to feed off of the publicity that comes with calling out former featherweight champion Conor McGregor, he is ready to step inside the Octagon and show the Irishman up.

“I think it will be crazy and I think fans will love it,” said Rodriguez in a recent interview with NESN on Radio Row regarding a potential McGregor matchup. “I don’t want to bring McGregor up because then people are going to think, ‘Oh, now he’s trying to use McGregor, you know?’ but no, I don’t want McGregor’s success. He’s got his own stuff and he’s been smart enough to build his own empire and I don’t want that. I want my own stuff. I don’t really care about him or whatever he wants to do with his own life. If he wants to go and fight in boxing, I don’t really care.

“I care about my career and if he’s in front of me, I don’t care-I will go and kick his ass. I’m just being honest, I prepare myself. I’m a winner and people don’t remember losers. People remember winners, and I’m a winner. I’ve been one all my life.”

While Rodriguez sports the exciting fighting style to combat the unstoppable punching power of McGregor at the featherweight level, it’s highly unlikely that “Notorious” will drop back down to 145 pounds anytime soon. Heck, he may not even step back inside the Octagon until next year. All of that said, Rodriguez is on the quick track to the top of the featherweight heap and may very well have enough time to win the title before McGregor sets his sights back on a division he destroyed in three years.

Even before Yair Rodriguez dismantled B.J. Penn with definitive ease at UFC Fight Night 103 earlier this year, the 24-year-old was widely considering one of the best rising contenders in mixed martial arts. Starching a legend like Penn certainly helped pad his resume, but “El Pantera” was already moving needles before 2017. And while Rodriguez isn’t going to try to feed off of the publicity that comes with calling out former featherweight champion Conor McGregor, he is ready to step inside the Octagon and show the Irishman up.

“I think it will be crazy and I think fans will love it,” said Rodriguez in a recent interview with NESN on Radio Row regarding a potential McGregor matchup. “I don’t want to bring McGregor up because then people are going to think, ‘Oh, now he’s trying to use McGregor, you know?’ but no, I don’t want McGregor’s success. He’s got his own stuff and he’s been smart enough to build his own empire and I don’t want that. I want my own stuff. I don’t really care about him or whatever he wants to do with his own life. If he wants to go and fight in boxing, I don’t really care.

“I care about my career and if he’s in front of me, I don’t care-I will go and kick his ass. I’m just being honest, I prepare myself. I’m a winner and people don’t remember losers. People remember winners, and I’m a winner. I’ve been one all my life.”

While Rodriguez sports the exciting fighting style to combat the unstoppable punching power of McGregor at the featherweight level, it’s highly unlikely that “Notorious” will drop back down to 145 pounds anytime soon. Heck, he may not even step back inside the Octagon until next year. All of that said, Rodriguez is on the quick track to the top of the featherweight heap and may very well have enough time to win the title before McGregor sets his sights back on a division he destroyed in three years.