As a former UFC Featherweight Title contender and Interim Champion, we have decided to take a deep dive into the MMA career of Yair Rodriguez. Read on to find out more about his professional MMA record, previous fights, his UFC title record and how many knockouts he has on his resumé.
Yair Rodriguez Record
Yair Rodriguez turned professional back in 2011 with a debut victory against Jonatan Guzmán in Mexico City, Mexico. Since then, Rodriguez has had another 23 professional MMA fights, winning all but five of them.
Rodriguez’s career has been nothing short of magnificent to date. The Mexican is the former Interim UFC Featherweight Champion, having won the interim title three fights ago against Josh Emmett at UFC 284.
‘El Pantera’ is without a doubt one of the most skilful fighters at featherweight, of that there is no question. His career up to now has been sensational, and he still has some big nights ahead of him.
Especially if he can become UFC champion in the future, with Alexander Volkanovski potentially nearing retirement and the new 145-pound king Ilia Topuria looking a fresh challenge next. Yair Rodriguez could be that fresh challenge for ‘El Matador’.
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As previously mentioned, Yair Rodriguez made his professional MMA debut over a decade ago now. He was on a Mexican Fight Promotions card where he made the perfect start to his career by winning via unanimous decision. Rodriguez then had five more fights as a pro MMA fighter before signing a deal with Dana White and the UFC.
Yair Rodriguez had a phenomenal start to his tenure in the UFC. He won his first six straight fights in the UFC, including two knockouts. Not only that, but he beat the likes of BJ Penn, Dan Hooker and Alex Caceres. Not a bad start to your UFC career by any stretch.
The Mexican suffered the first defeat of his UFC career in May 2017, losing to Frankie Edgar via TKO at UFC 211. Rodriguez bounced back in style though, knocking The Korean Zombie out in the final second of their fight with a stunning spinning elbow.
After a no-contest with Jeremy Stephens in his next fight due to an accident eye poke, the pair rematched a month later with Rodriguez winning via decision. Next he fought Max Holloway in a final eliminator for the UFC Featherweight Title. He fell just short on that occasion, with ‘Blessed’ winning a close decision.
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‘El Pantera’ then bounced back with a win over Brian Ortega, before beating Josh Emmett two fights ago to become Interim UFC Featherweight Champion. Both of those fights he won via stoppage (TKO and submission respectively).
Then Rodriguez fell short in his bid to become UFC Featherweight Champion. Alexander Volkanovski halted the Mexican in the third round of their main event clash at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, he put up a credible fight and had his moments of success prior to the stoppage.
Last time out Rodriguez suffered another defeat against an opponent he had previously beaten. Brian Ortega submitted the 31-year-old in the third and final round, handing ‘El Pantera’ back-to-back defeats. It’s back to the drawing board now for Yair Rodriguez as he aims to get his 2024 back on track.
Overall throughout his MMA career, the list of names he has defeated is pretty impressive. Brian Ortega, Jeremy Stephens, BJ Penn, Dan Hooker and The Korean Zombie are just some of the stellar names Rodriguez has defeated. That takes us up to now in the career of Yair Rodriguez.
Be sure to claim the various sports betting apps bonuses and UFC free bets available on the SportsLens site ahead of Rodriguez’s next fight.
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