Athletes
Imanol Rodriguez | A New Threat Has Arrived
Debuting, Unbeaten Flyweight Talks Journey To UFC, Debuting In Mexico City
On a card flush with talented fighters talent, few are as intriguing as Imanol Rodriguez, the 26-year-old flyweight who makes his promotional debut this weekend at Arena CDMX opposite Kevin Borjas.
A semifinalist on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, the Team Cormier representative returned to Las Vegas in the fall and punched his ticket to the UFC, registering a first-round knockout win over Roque Conceicao on Dana White’s Contender Series.
“(The Ultimate Fighter and DWCS) prepared me a lot to put me where I am right now,” Rodriguez said. “And (it has made me) be able to say, ‘I don’t choose opponents.’ … It was very important when you’re at this level — not only in TUF, but also Contender Series — and it’s important to mention this because that’s what happens when you’re in the big leagues; you don’t choose opponents, right?
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“(Receiving coaching from Daniel Cormier was) very important,” added Rodriguez, who has continued getting in work with DC’s long-time righthand man Rosendo Sanchez in advance of this weekend’s contest. “It was amazing to have him in my corner, to be by my side, and there are great expectations that come for someone that got to be trained by the double champ… But that gives me the confidence that I will be representing the flag really well.”
Just as he’s already learning to point out that he’s open to facing anyone, Rodriguez is slowly acclimating to the new challenges that come with being an undefeated and highly regarded prospect on the UFC stage.
“It’s tough to be answering the same questions from people all the time. It’s something I’m trying to grasp and handle as best as I can,” he admitted. “I’m very grateful for it. You have to do it… I’ve told people: I didn’t come here for the fame, I didn’t come here for the money — I’m fighting to be the world champion, so all of this comes with the territory. You’ve gotta do it. You’ve gotta do what I’m doing right now.”
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While he soldiered his way through our conversation, what Rodriguez is unquestionably looking forward to is making the walk to the Octagon for the first time this weekend.
“It’s a debut that I dreamed about and I’m controlling myself a lot,” said Rodriguez. “I’m working a lot on this, so it doesn’t eat me up, doesn’t consume me; to have the patience for it.
“It’s amazing to have my people, have the crew all around for the debut like this.”
What makes the unbeaten newcomer such an interesting addition to the roster is that the flyweight division has never been better, and Rodriguez brings a skill set that could make him an agent of change in the 125-pound ranks.
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Compact and muscled like the “Master of the Universe” character from which he derives his nickname “Himan” (it’s the Mexican appropriation for He-Man), Rodriguez has displayed a knack for finishing fights with the type of sudden power that is uncanny in the lighter weight classes. On top of that, he’s got some grappling credentials tucked away in his back pocket too.
“It’s something that people have not had the chance to see as of right now — the need has not come up,” Rodriguez said with a smirk when asked about his Sambo background, which includes a Pan Am SAMBO Championships win when he was 19 years old. “But if people want it — if they wanna see me wrestle, grapple — we’ll give it to them if they want.”
Right now, Rodriguez is focused on what he wants, and that is to stride out to the Octagon this weekend before a raucous crowd in Mexico City and take the first step towards his dream of ascending to the top of the UFC flyweight division.
“It’s my first step,” he said. “I used to dream of having this, I used to look at this as the goal — to make a debut and to be here now — but I only see that as the first step of a journey.
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“Unfortunately, it’s Kevin Borjas that is gonna be the first one on the list here. I have to go through him, and it’s going to be in front of people that I know have great expectations, so I hope to meet them, and everybody enjoys the night.”
Having dreamt of this moment for years and prepared for it earnestly for the last several months, Rodriguez had zero hesitation when asked how he sees himself getting his hand raised on Saturday.
“We’ve worked for this, we’ve visualized this, it’s planned: it’s a knockout in the first round. I know people think it doesn’t happen, but they’ve all said, ‘No one has ever knocked him out,’ but we’ll do this, and that’s it; I’m gonna be the first one.
“I came here to (bring) some order to this division.”
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Kavanagh took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City on February 28, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!