MIAMI – If all goes nicely, Yair Rodriguez can see himself difficult for the UFC featherweight title in just a few months.
Rodriguez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who returns to the cage this Saturday on the primary card of UFC 314 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Heart, has visualized his path to the featherweight title: first, defeating former Bellator champion Patricio Freire (36-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC), after which hope Diego Lopes beats Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant belt in the primary occasion of the cardboard.
Ought to these two issues occur, Rodriguez can see the UFC pairing him towards Lopes at Noche UFC in Guadalajara on Sept. 13.
“My visualization goes in the direction of that,” Rodriguez stated at Wednesday’s UFC 314 media day. “I’m clearly not overlooking this struggle with ‘Pitbull,’ however it’s a must to be ready for no matter, and it’s a must to visualize what you need to occur and create it, in order that’s what I’ve been doing.
“I used to be really texting Brandon Moreno. Proper after his struggle, I advised him, ‘Congratulations, you seemed superior. I’m so pleased with you, you’ve advanced so much.’ He was like, ‘Thanks a lot, and I can’t wait to make this occur in Guadalajara.’ And I advised him, ‘Let’s make it two. Let’s make it two championships in Guadalajara. It will likely be a historic occasion.’ That’s what I’m on the lookout for.”
Lopes vs. Rodriguez in a UFC title struggle could be a large struggle for Mexico and Latin America. Rodriguez is a pioneer for Mexican MMA, and one of many early stars of the nation, having received the inaugural season of The Final Fighter: Latin America in 2014.
Then again, Lopes, Brazil-born, has additionally change into a star in Mexico, as he lives in trains in Mexico, his affiliation with Alexa Grasso’s Lobo Health club in Guadalajara, and naturally his meteoric rise within the UFC.
Rodriguez dislikes and doesn’t agree with Lopes representing Mexico.
“Sure, I’ve an issue with that, not with Diego,” Rodriguez stated. “He’s simply doing his job with what he’s doing proper now, however my drawback is, what’s up with individuals? I perceive he’s nice, he’s thrilling, and you already know he’s doing his job, however I simply don’t agree with it. I’ll by no means be that approach and don’t need to be that approach. If he’s doing it, good for him. If individuals need to see him as Mexican, I don’t have an issue with that.
“I’ve been killing myself for years for my nation. In the event that they resolve to go along with him the second with should struggle or face one another, that’s on them. I’ve been doing all of the issues to signify my nation. I’ve bled for my nation, I’ve cried for my nation, I’ve hugged the flag. I can’t be extra pleased with being Mexican.”
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