Yair Rodriguez had a week full of fighter callouts and future plans.
He was officially scheduled to compete against Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314 on Saturday. After winning against Pitbull, Rodriguez expressed his desire to challenge for the featherweight title, which Alexander Volkanovski later secured that same night. Adding to the mix is Diego Lopes.
Rodriguez and Lopes, both training in Mexico, share a strong animosity that became evident during a pre-fight press conference in Miami last Thursday. They exchanged heated words and security had to intervene.
At the post-fight press conference on Saturday, Rodriguez was questioned whether his personal conflict with Lopes was more important than a rematch with Volkanovski.
“Fans might be interested in that fight, but personally, the rivalry can wait,” Rodriguez stated. “My primary goal is to fight for the championship belt.”
“What exactly happened between Lopes and me? That will be discussed later. For now, my focus is solely on securing a title fight and a rematch with the current champion, Alexander Volkanovski, ideally in Guadalajara.”
Rodriguez ended a two-fight losing streak with a victory by decision over Pitbull, who was making his UFC debut after an impressive 15-year career with Bellator, including three featherweight title reigns. “El Pantera” believes his performance and Pitbull`s reputation should warrant a title rematch with Volkanovski.
Volkanovski previously defeated Rodriguez in a title unification bout at UFC 290 in July 2023, a loss Rodriguez is eager to avenge. However, he reassured fans that his issue with Lopes will be addressed.
“I believe a fight with Lopes has to happen,” Rodriguez confirmed. “I even spoke with my friend Marco Beltran and told him I would settle things with Lopes for him. I initially tried to remain calm with Lopes, even posing for pictures, but he became disrespectful at the press conference, making comments about my losses and attacking me personally.”
“That was the final straw. I couldn’t tolerate it anymore.”
Rodriguez didn`t go into detail about the specifics of his issues with Lopes, but it involves both fighters and their teams. Lopes defeated Rodriguez’s teammate Marco Beltran at a LUX Fight League event in November 2019, and the tension has escalated since then.
A complicating factor for Rodriguez is Volkanovski already holding a win over him, which might lead matchmakers to consider other options. However, Rodriguez is optimistic about securing a prominent spot at the upcoming UFC 320 event in Guadalajara, Mexico, believing a title fight there makes perfect sense.
“Volkanovski has fought globally,” Rodriguez noted. “He hasn’t fought in Mexico yet. Guadalajara`s elevation isn`t extreme, making it ideal for the UFC to host a major numbered event there. I believe Volkanovski would be willing to have a rematch with me in that location.”
