As the No. 3 featherweight in the world according to the UFC's official rankings, Yair Rodríguez knows he’s nearing the title shot he’s been seeking during his eight years with the company. But with a dangerous opponent in Brian Ortega awaiting him Saturday, Rodríguez says he’s not letting himself spend one moment concerning himself with current champ Alexander Volkanovski.
“I’m not thinking about that,” Rodríguez told MMA Underground. “Of course, it’s something that is on my mind that it can happen, you know? But first, if anything … I have to be there Saturday. I need to win this fight.
“There’s a lot of things that need to happen in order for me to get to the title shot. Volkanovski will probably make some decisions that can affect it, too, so there’s nothing in my hands right now. What’s in my hands right now is … making it to the fight Saturday, and that’s what I can do.”
Rodríguez (13–3 MMA, 8–1 UFC) and Ortega (15–2 MMA, 7–2 UFC) meet in the headlining bout of Saturday’s UFC on ABC 3 event, which airs on ABC (2 p.m. ET) and streams on ESPN+ from UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y.
