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Yair Rodriguez Is Ready To Welcome Patricio Pitbull To The UFC
Mexican Featherweight Star Wants To Gatecrash The Title Picture By Handing Former Two-Weight Bellator Champion A Debut Loss In The Octagon
Yair Rodriguez wanted a big fight for his next assignment, and he’s got one - but not the one he was expecting.
Mexico’s Rodriguez will serve as the UFC’s chief greeter as he welcomes Patricio Pitbull to the Octagon at UFC 314 in Miami this weekend.
After suffering back-to-back losses to then-champion Alexander Volkanovski and longtime contender Brian Ortega, Rodriguez was hopeful of landing a significant opponent for his next bout as he looks to bounce back into championship contention with one big win.
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But when the UFC came to him with an offer to fight Pitbull, it caught “El Pantera” off guard a little.
“I was a little surprised,” he told UFC.com.
“I wasn't expecting the UFC to sign Pitbull, because I didn’t know anything about (the UFC) signing people from Bellator or whatever. Michael “Venom” Page, of course, I knew, and stuff like that. But I wasn’t expecting this call, at all.
“I was expecting to fight Diego Lopes. I was actually preparing for that, to fight in Mexico City. And it was in the works, (we were) talking to his management team, until Ilia Topuria decided to move up to 155.
Order UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes
“Diego has been in a winning streak, and fighting constantly, so the UFC decided to give him the title shot against Alexander Volkanovski, the former champ of the division after only losing once against Ilia Topuria. I think they deserve the title shot – I don't have a problem with that.
“But, after that, the UFC came and told me, ‘What do you think about fighting Pitbull?’ I was like, ‘Well, that sounds interesting. Let me talk to my coach real quick.’
Yair Rodriguez Fight Week Interview | UFC 314
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Yair Rodriguez Fight Week Interview | UFC 314
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“I talked to my coach right away. Some other guys were injured, so I was like, I have no problem with none of that. And if they want me to welcome Pitbull, then let it be.”
As part of his preparation to face Pitbull, Rodriguez has spent time training with Belal Muhammad. It’s more than just another experienced body to train with, however, as Rodriguez revealed the close bond he has built with the undisputed welterweight champion over the years.
RELATED: Miami Hosts Key Featherweight Fights That Could Reshape The Division
“It’s always great to be around Belal, not only because of his expertise and his level of partnership, but also he’s an amazing human being,” he explained.
“That nurtures you as a human being, as well, and helps you to become better, in every sense.
“I really love Belal. I was messing around with him, making fun of him. But that’s because in Mexico, we say if we don’t make fun of you, it’s because we don’t like you! And I always do that to Belal, always trying to play jokes on him. I told him once, ‘I’m doing this because I love you, man!’ It’s been awesome.”
With Pitbull competing in another organization, Rodriguez admitted that, while he knew about his upcoming opponent, he hadn’t closely followed the Brazilian’s career over the years. However, during his preparation for their meeting this weekend, he’s delved into the archives to watch the Brazilian in action, and knows he’s stepping into the Octagon with a top-level competitor.
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“Obviously, I’ve known who Pitbull is for many years now. But if you ask me if I’ve been following his career – no, I haven’t really followed his career,” he admitted.
“I know of some of the opponents he has faced in the past and, since I knew I was going to fight him, I have seen more and more, and he has an impressive career. He has an impressive resume, and I think he’s an amazing fighter, really explosive, super strong, has a well-rounded game. So it’s going to be a good one.”
Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull Preview | UFC 314
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Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull Preview | UFC 314
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Stylistically, Rodriguez sees the matchup as a pretty easy one for fans and analysts to read. It’ll just come down to which of the two world-class operators executes their gameplan the best on fight night.
“It's super simple. It's a no brainer,” he said.
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“He's shorter than me, he has less reach, and the only thing he can do is close the distance. Just as everybody else in the division will try to do with me – just close distance, or take me down, put me against the cage and do something like that.
“And my strategy, obviously, will be the opposite, and whoever’s able to play their strategy best in the fight is going to take the win.”
Pitbull may be a UFC newcomer, but he’s been renowned for years as one of the premier featherweights on the planet. And, due to that status, Rodriguez sees a win over the Brazilian as being significant enough for him to call for a shot at the 145-pound title.
“It's something that I talked to the UFC about, as well. Maybe after this fight, having the win on Saturday, fighting for the championship is the goal, right? So I don't have anything else on my mind. Obviously, that's the main focus, and I'm rooting for that.“
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And if a perfect world existed in MMA for Rodriguez, that title shot would come back in his homeland, at the recently announced Noche UFC event where, potentially, he could form a Mexican championship double-header in Guadalajara on September 13 alongside former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno.
“I was actually thinking about that,” he said.
“When Brandon fought in Mexico, I texted him after (and) told him, ‘Hey man, great job. You looked incredible!’ And he's like, ‘Hell yeah! I'm looking for that title shot in Guadalajara, in Mexico, in September.’
“I was like, ‘Let's make it two!’ So, after this fight, I'm looking forward to pushing the UFC to make it happen in Guadalajara. It will be an historic event, and I'm super excited to make something like that happen.”
RELATED: Patricio Pitbull Is Motivated For More
Standing between Rodriguez and his dream is former two-division champion Pitbull, and “El Pantera” has had his eyes on the prize throughout training camp. Now, after a great camp, the 32-year-old said he’s fully prepared to deliver something special on fight night and make his dream a reality.
“I have to stay focused, moment by moment, day by day,” he said.
“I’ve been doing incredible things, amazing things. I feel like never before, and I'm ready for Saturday.”
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on April 12, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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