Yair Rodriguez had a busy fight week, facing multiple potential opponents.
He was officially scheduled to fight Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314. After winning against Pitbull, Rodriguez expressed his desire for a featherweight title shot, which Alexander Volkanovski later claimed. Additionally, there`s the ongoing tension with Diego Lopes.
Rodriguez and Lopes, both training in Mexico, share a strong animosity that surfaced during a pre-fight press conference in Miami. They exchanged heated words and needed security to separate them.
At the post-fight press conference, Rodriguez was asked if his personal issue with Lopes is more important than a rematch with Volkanovski.
“Fans might be interested in the Lopes fight, but personally, the feud can wait,” Rodriguez stated. “My current priority is fighting for the title.”
“What happened with Lopes? We`ll discuss it more later, but for now, my focus is solely on a title fight. I want to rematch Alexander Volkanovski for the championship, ideally in Guadalajara.”
Rodriguez ended a two-fight losing streak with a victory over Pitbull, who was making his UFC debut after a successful 15-year career in Bellator, including three featherweight titles. Rodriguez believes this win, combined with Pitbull`s reputation, should earn him a rematch with Volkanovski.
Volkanovski defeated Rodriguez for the title at UFC 290 in July 2023. Rodriguez is eager to avenge that loss, but he also assured fans that his conflict with Lopes will be addressed eventually.
“It’s inevitable,” Rodriguez said about fighting Lopes. “I even told my friend Marco Beltran, ‘I’ll handle this for you. I’ll make sure to fight him when I get the chance.’ Initially, I tried to be cool and even took pictures with Lopes, but he became disrespectful at the press conference, making comments about my losses and attacking me.”
“That was it. I couldn’t tolerate it anymore.”
Rodriguez didn`t detail the exact issues with Lopes, but it involves not just them but also their teams. Lopes defeated Rodriguez’s teammate Marco Beltran at a LUX Fight League event in November 2019, and their rivalry has escalated since then.
Adding complexity is Volkanovski`s previous win over Rodriguez, which might lead matchmakers to consider other options. However, Rodriguez is optimistic about securing a prominent spot at UFC 320 in Guadalajara, Mexico, believing a title fight rematch makes sense.
“Volkanovski has fought globally, but not in Mexico. Guadalajara, with its moderate elevation, is a good location for a major UFC event. I think it’s logical for the UFC to host a big event in Guadalajara, and Volkanovski would be happy to have a rematch with me there.”
