Tag: Yair Rodriguez

Yair Rodríguez Says Two Potential Names Have Been Mentioned Ahead Of Targeted February Return In Mexico City

Yair Rodríguez revealed in a recent interview with MMA Junkie that despite his hopes of returning before the end of the year, it looks like the UFC has plans for him in the first quarter of 2025. “El Pantera” last competed in February where he was submitted by Brian Ortega in Mexico City. According to […]

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Yair Rodríguez revealed in a recent interview with MMA Junkie that despite his hopes of returning before the end of the year, it looks like the UFC has plans for him in the first quarter of 2025. “El Pantera” last competed in February where he was submitted by Brian Ortega in Mexico City.

According to Rodríguez, there could be plans for the Octagon to go back to the same place one year later which opens up discussions about who he could possibly face in and around February. UFC 312 is set for the same month in Sydney, Australia which Alexander Volkanovski hopes to be a part of so it could end up being a big month for the featherweight division.

The former interim champion currently occupies the #4-ranking at 145-pounds which puts him in a good place for a big fight that could get him right back into the title picture. At the top of the division, you obviously have Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway fighting for the title this weekend at UFC 308.

We also have Aljamain Sterling and Movsar Evloev being rescheduled for UFC 310 and that leaves a couple names that Rodríguez is yet to meet inside the Octagon who could make sense for this time frame.

Whilst in attendance in Abu Dhabi for UFC fight week, the Mexican star named two potential options that have come up in previous conversations.

“I always look to be fighting somebody that is in front of me or somebody that push me to fight for the title again. Names that have been mentioned to me in the past is Diego Lopes, who’s attending the event as well, and Arnold Allen and we’ll see how that goes. I’m just waiting to hear back from the UFC and whatever they want, I’m here to fight.”   

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Brian Ortega rallies, lands submission win over Yair Rodríguez in back and forth rematch – UFC Mexico City Highlights

Brian Ortega rallies to land arm triangle submission win over Yair Rodriguez in rematch UFC Mexico City HighlightsTurning in his first victory since 2020, former featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega was forced to rally from some…

Brian Ortega rallies to land arm triangle submission win over Yair Rodriguez in rematch UFC Mexico City Highlights

Turning in his first victory since 2020, former featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega was forced to rally from some significant adversity in his rematch with former interim champion, Yair Rodríguez in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night Mexico City tonight — rallying to land a third round submission win.

Ortega, who has twice challenged for Octagon spoils, will hope tonight’s win over Chihuahua native, Rodríguez will prove enough to warrant him a crack at newly-minted champion, Ilia Topuria — following high-profile losses to both Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski.

And forced to rally early in the opening round, Ortega was dropped twice in quick succession on the feet from the lightening-fast Rodríguez, before taking his back in the first, and amassing significant ground time control in the second round.

Capitalizing on an overzealous Rodríguez early in the third round, Los Angeles-born contender, Ortega managed to lock up a stunning arm-triangle submission win in the frame, moving from mount and forcing a timely tap from the former interim champion.

Below, catch the highlights from Brian Ortega’s submission win at UFC Mexico City

UFC Mexico City’s Yair Rodriguez goes off on new featherweight king Ilia Topuria: ‘I’ll fight him in his backyard’

Yair RodriguezYair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria. Rodriguez — who came up…

Yair Rodriguez

Yair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria.

Rodriguez — who came up short of trading in his interim title for undisputed gold against Alexander Volkanovski in July — sounded just a little bit bitter when asked about Topuria’s title-winning performance against ‘The Great’ during his appearance at the UFC Mexico City media event on Wednesday.

“He did it,” Rodriguez said. “He said he was going to do it and he did it. I don’t have much to say about that.

“I would love to f*ck him up,” he continued. “I don’t want to fight him, I want to f*ck him up. There’s a f*cking big difference in that. Just to make that clear. Anywhere I f*cking see him, I will f*ck him up. F*ck this b*tch. I don’t f*cking like him.”

Yair Rodriguez believes the uFC Mexico city co-main event will produce topuria’s first title challenger

Rodriguez will feature in the co-main event this Saturday night when the UFC returns to Mexico City with a fight that could produce Topuria’s first championship challenger. ‘El Pantera’ meets fellow contender Brian Ortega in a rematch of their July 2022 clash. Rodriguez won the bout via a first-round TKO after ‘T-City’ injured his shoulder.

Rodriguez believes that the winner between himself and Ortega will likely move on to fight Topuria later this year.

“I think that is what’s next for us, any of us, whoever wins, the title is next,” Rodriguez said. “F*ck yeah [I’ll go to Spain vs. Topuria]. I’ll fight him in his backyard if he wants.”

Yair Rodriguez enters the bout with a 10-3 record inside the Octagon with one no-contest. He has won three of his last five bouts, including an interim title victory over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. His two losses came against Volkanovski and former featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

UFC Mexico City’s Yair Rodriguez goes off on new featherweight king Ilia Topuria: ‘I’ll fight him in his backyard’

Yair RodriguezYair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria. Rodriguez — who came up…

Yair Rodriguez

Yair Rodriguez is not a fan of the new featherweight world champion, Ilia Topuria.

Rodriguez — who came up short of trading in his interim title for undisputed gold against Alexander Volkanovski in July — sounded just a little bit bitter when asked about Topuria’s title-winning performance against ‘The Great’ during his appearance at the UFC Mexico City media event on Wednesday.

“He did it,” Rodriguez said. “He said he was going to do it and he did it. I don’t have much to say about that.

“I would love to f*ck him up,” he continued. “I don’t want to fight him, I want to f*ck him up. There’s a f*cking big difference in that. Just to make that clear. Anywhere I f*cking see him, I will f*ck him up. F*ck this b*tch. I don’t f*cking like him.”

Yair Rodriguez believes the uFC Mexico city co-main event will produce topuria’s first title challenger

Rodriguez will feature in the co-main event this Saturday night when the UFC returns to Mexico City with a fight that could produce Topuria’s first championship challenger. ‘El Pantera’ meets fellow contender Brian Ortega in a rematch of their July 2022 clash. Rodriguez won the bout via a first-round TKO after ‘T-City’ injured his shoulder.

Rodriguez believes that the winner between himself and Ortega will likely move on to fight Topuria later this year.

“I think that is what’s next for us, any of us, whoever wins, the title is next,” Rodriguez said. “F*ck yeah [I’ll go to Spain vs. Topuria]. I’ll fight him in his backyard if he wants.”

Yair Rodriguez enters the bout with a 10-3 record inside the Octagon with one no-contest. He has won three of his last five bouts, including an interim title victory over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. His two losses came against Volkanovski and former featherweight champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

Yair Rodríguez eyes title fight showdown with Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC Mexico City return: ‘He said I looked like a rag’

Yair Rodriguez eyes title fight showdown with Ilia Topuria after UFC 298 he said I looked like a ragFormer interim featherweight champion, Yair Rodríguez hs sights set on a rematch with incoming title challenger, Ilia Topuria after…

Yair Rodriguez eyes title fight showdown with Ilia Topuria after UFC 298 he said I looked like a rag

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?