In some ways, Ronaldo Rodriguez already gained.
Rodriguez, higher often known as “Lazy Boy,” was not purported to make it this far, as the percentages have been closely stacked in opposition to him. But, right here he’s, hours away from opening up the UFC 306 pay-per-view most important card this Saturday at Sphere in Las Vegas in what might be his second struggle with the promotion.
Rodriguez has taken chunk of the highlight this struggle week. He stole the present at Thursday’s Noche UFC press convention along with his heated back-and-forth with Ode Osbourne and is heading into the occasion as some of the beloved, adopted, and hyped Mexican fighters on the cardboard.
Though it could seem to be issues are simply getting began for the 25-year-old prospect, Rodriguez has already been via a ton to get to this stage.
The start
Rodriguez was born in Chiapas, one of many poorest states in Mexico with a staggering poverty charge of 74.7%, based on a 2012 research from the Nationwide Institute of Statistics and Geography. In Chiapas, Rodriguez lived in a tiny city – which, based on a 2010 census, had a inhabitants of lower than 500.
“We’re from a municipality known as Jiquipilas, and a city known as Nueva Independencia, that’s the place I grew up,” Rodriguez informed MMA Junkie in Spanish. “There are not any roads, there is no such thing as a web, there’s hardly any electrical energy. Individuals transfer round in horses, however there are some automobiles. There may be one street and a park that’s all pavement.
“It’s a really poor neighborhood. I feel having grown up there and seeing all of the hardships we needed to undergo and all of the instances we have been hungry or didn’t have garments or footwear to put on, it was these experiences that cast the person you see right this moment. The person who’s working to higher himself and construct a legacy.”
A single mom raised Rodriguez. His grandparents have been farmworkers who cultivated corn and pumpkin. It was clear early on that he had no future in Chiapas, which is why it was his residence for less than seven years.
“Chiapas has the very best index of poverty in Mexico,” Rodriguez mentioned. “My mom gave me the chance to depart the city. She was each a mom and a father to me. She took the danger to step out her consolation zone and go away the city so she might give a greater life to her son.”
Veracruz and his introduction to MMA
Searching for a greater future, Rodriguez and his mother moved to an even bigger metropolis in Veracruz, a few four-hour drive from their residence in Chiapas. He was about seven years previous once they made the change, and there, Rodriguez’s mom started working as a housekeeper to help their residing.
Quickly after shifting to Veracruz, Rodriguez realized he had plenty of duty on his shoulders, maybe greater than the common child.
“About eight years previous, I noticed that nobody was going to determine my life for me,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I knew {that a} stepfather wasn’t going to return in and purchase me all the pieces I wished. That I wasn’t going to win the lottery. That nobody was going to do one thing for me. I knew I solely had my mom, and my mom solely had me. Nobody was going to determine our lives. I knew the one one that might make a change was me.”
Rodriguez spent the vast majority of his childhood and teenage years in Veracruz. There, he realized that finding out wasn’t his factor, however preventing was.
“Since I used to be a child, I beloved preventing,” Rodriguez mentioned. “In highschool, I acquired kicked out twice for preventing. I ended up in essentially the most problematic highschool in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. It was there the place all the children that different colleges didn’t need would find yourself. But it surely was one thing that I wanted to stay via. I at all times appreciated preventing.
Rodriguez was a giant Julio Cesar Chavez fan and wished to pursue a profession in boxing. Sadly for the world of the “Candy Science,” there was solely an MMA fitness center accessible to him, so he started coaching there on the age of 14.
“4 months into my coaching, I had my first novice struggle,” Rodriguez recalled. “The novice type of Mexico is just about skilled, however they don’t should pay you, in order that’s why they name it novice. I had about 22 of these fights and from there I had my skilled debut.”
One other transfer and the early footsteps as knowledgeable fighter
Like Chiapas, Veracruz quickly started to really feel like a small city for a hungry and gifted Rodriguez seeking to take his skilled MMA profession critically. There wasn’t a lot else for him to do MMA-wise, so at 17, he determined to go to the nation’s capital, Mexico Metropolis, the place there was an even bigger, extra strong MMA scene.
“I informed my mother that I didn’t wish to be a burden for her and college wasn’t actually my factor, so I made the choice to depart residence and go to Mexico Metropolis to chase my dream,” Rodriguez mentioned. “In Veracruz there have been no skilled fights, there was nobody registering them. I nonetheless have a couple of fights not registered in my Tapology. It didn’t imply something to struggle and earn cash with no report of my fights.”
Happily for “Lazy Boy,” his fitness center in Veracruz was affiliated with a fitness center in Mexico Metropolis known as ADAM, run by Rene Diosdado and his brother. They have been glad to soak up Rodriguez and let him stay within the fitness center. Little did Rodriguez know that the fitness center was going to be his residence for the following 4 years.
“I used to be coaching all day,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I imply three, 4 instances a day within the fitness center as a result of that’s all I had. Thank God there have been many individuals there that noticed my effort and plenty of would include a meal or something to assist and help me. That at all times stored me humble as a result of I actually wanted assist from the individuals. If it wasn’t for them, possibly I wouldn’t have been in a position to obtain my dream. I feel that’s what’s helped me join with individuals, and that’s why I’m who I’m right this moment.”
Rodriguez had loads of help from individuals, however that was not sufficient to help him and his MMA profession. He additionally labored as a waiter at a small native restaurant, making and promoting gelatinas – a preferred dessert in Mexico. He was superb at that.
“I’d promote them within the fitness center to coaching companions, the children,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I’d additionally promote them to vans and at parks, wherever. I acquired that from my mother. She was at all times a tough employee, so I had instance to assist me there. She’s the particular person I love essentially the most. She’s a really hardworking girl and was in a position to present for me as a single mom.”
Residing and coaching within the fitness center, promoting gelatinas, and dealing as a waiter weren’t the one issues on Rodriguez’s schedule.
From 2017 to 2020, Rodriguez fought 11 instances, going 10-1, along with his solely loss being a break up resolution defeat. He additionally gained a neighborhood championship belt. By way of this busy schedule, Rodriguez shortly turned a neighborhood sensation, and it was solely a matter of time for him to get known as as much as the large leagues.
Heartbreak at Dana White Contender Sequence
In 2020, after 4 years of being a really lively regional fighter in Mexico whereas additionally working part-time jobs, Rodriguez acquired the decision to compete on Dana White’s Contender Sequence – a present the place the most effective regional fighters throw down in opposition to one another in hopes to persuade UFC CEO Dana White of a contract with the Las-Vegas based mostly promotion.
In keeping with the Hollywood script, this was Rodriguez’s inevitable breakthrough, however it wasn’t. Rodriguez fought and misplaced a unanimous resolution to Jerome Rivera, and with that end result, he was despatched packing again to the regional scene in Mexico.
“That camp was insane as a result of it was in the course of the pandemic, and I used to be the primary Mexican to compete on Contender Sequence,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I solely skilled with one coach and one coaching associate as a result of nobody wished to coach. Covid was at its peak. Preparation was extraordinarily troublesome, however I ready as finest I might, however I didn’t get the end result I wished.”
There was no plan B for Rodriguez. Combating was all the pieces, which is why the loss at DWCS stung.
“I’m not going to lie, getting the chance of your desires and sadly not figuring out, it tears you down unhealthy,” Rodriguez mentioned. “It was tough, however on the finish of the day, that is what defines a warrior. What number of instances are you able to stand up? I’ve come up time and time once more from poverty and plenty of different issues. So, not getting again up from a defeat wasn’t acceptable.
“I used to be nonetheless profitable, that’s how I see it. Contemplating the place I come from, I’m profitable.”
The purse made at DWCS was the largest Rodriguez had made in his preventing profession. This allowed him to maneuver out of his fitness center and lease his personal place, which introduced plenty of peace of thoughts. From there, Rodriguez dismissed the mud and acquired again on the horse.
“I did suppose that possibly this was the very best second for me, however these are inside demons that you need to battle, so right this moment, I can stand and say I’m destined to be a world champion.”
UFC dream comes true
Rodriguez didn’t quit. He went again to Mexico after his loss at DWCS and continued to place within the work.
Rodriguez’s plan was easy: Rack up as many wins as doable in hope to get one other likelihood at a UFC contract. On the regional scene, he picked up 5 consecutive victories, with 4 beneath the LUX banner, which streams on UFC Combat Cross.
This streak was sufficient to get him again on the UFC radar. Nevertheless, this time he didn’t have to return to the UFC, the UFC got here to him. The promotion booked a Combat Evening occasion for February 24 in Mexico Metropolis. This was the UFC’s first occasion in Mexico for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic.
“Once I acquired the contract, brother, that was a sense of, ‘We made it,’” Rodriguez mentioned. “We knew it was coming.”
At UFC Combat Evening 237, Rodriguez confronted Denys Bondar for his debut. He was the third struggle on the preliminary card however was handled by the group as if he have been the primary occasion. He was the person of the individuals.
As he dreamt it, Rodriguez stepped within the octagon, placed on a powerful exhibiting, and submitted Bondar with a rear-naked choke within the second spherical of their contest. It was a dream come true.
“It was a singular feeling I can’t clarify,” Rodriguez mentioned. “It’s totally different from the rest. The reality is that I simply really feel blessed to have the ability to get up every single day and breathe, however that evening was one thing very particular.
“My mother was crying of happiness. She was crying as a result of I made it. She is aware of how robust this profession is.”
FIRST FINISH OF THE NIGHT FOR MEXICO 🇲🇽
Ronaldo Rodriguez will get the faucet in his Octagon debut at #UFCMexico pic.twitter.com/6AzZzPrhXT
— UFC (@ufc) February 25, 2024
UFC 306 and past
“Lazy Boy” returns to the octagon for his second UFC struggle at Saturday’s pay-per-view occasion, which celebrates Mexican Independence. It is a particular second for each Mexican fighter on the cardboard. Nevertheless, given how a lot the Mexican crowd has embraced him, Rodriguez feels an additional obligation to make his individuals proud.
“Us Mexicans we’re rising a ton on this sport and it was only a matter of time as a result of la raza is made for this,” Rodriguez mentioned. “Perhaps we’re not good at many different issues, however any sport that’s contact and violent, Mexico is a superpower. I’m extraordinarily proud to signify Mexico and to know that they really feel represented by me.”
Rodriguez wasn’t simply molded by his robust upbringing. Positive, he’s satisfied it’s primed him for preventing, however it’s additionally completed greater than that. Rodriguez feels the common Mexican can relate to his life story, which is why he’s very fashionable regardless of simply stepping into the UFC.
“I’m one among them,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I’m the common Mexican that comes from nothing and works onerous for his desires regardless of the shortage of assets and lack of help. Regardless of all that, I’m residing my dream, and that’s why my individuals determine with me.”
The dream has narrowed down to at least one factor now that Rodriguez finds himself within the UFC, and that’s profitable gold.
“Win the UFC title, that’s what’s subsequent,” Rodriguez mentioned. “The whole lot else is simply steps in direction of that. That’s clear for me.”
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