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Yair Rodriguez has fought for the UFC since 2014. Often overlooked in the featherweight division during the course of his first 12 fights—nine of which were wins—he was not going to let his title shot slip away.
And he didn’t. Even if he hardly remembers it.
Rodriguez won the interim featherweight title this past Saturday at UFC 284, defeating Josh Emmett by submission after locking a triangle choke in the second round. Despite his confidence and aggressiveness in the latter stages of the fight, Rodriguez admitted he was still reeling from a couple of shots he took from Emmett in the opening round.
“Josh Emmett is as tough as they come,” Rodriguez says. “He landed a punch in the first round, and I went into automatic mode. I don’t remember much after that. I was just fighting.”
A critical component to Rodriguez’s victory was his southpaw body kick. Once Emmett started to expect the body kick, Rodriguez adjusted and hit a knee to Emmett’s body. He followed that up with a right elbow, then caused further damage with a jump knee right to Emmett’s neck.
“Somebody told me after the fight that I landed a flying knee,” Rodriguez says. “I was like, ‘Did I?’ I just remember the moment when I adjusting the triangle.”
Once Rodriguez made an adjustment on the ground by putting his left leg over Emmett’s head, he locked in the triangle choke. He vividly recalls the feeling of jubilation when the referee broke the hold. Instantly flooded with emotion, Rodriguez could not contain his joy as he watched his team sprint to embrace him.
“It’s hard to explain,” Rodriguez says. “I was expecting that moment. For a long time, I was visualizing that moment. I thought about it so much. But when it happened, I couldn’t believe it. When I saw my team running toward me, I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.”
With the win, Rodriguez joins reigning flyweight champ Brandon Moreno as one of only two Mexican-born UFC champions.
“I put my mind to what I wanted to do, and we got it done,” Rodriguez says. “I’m so happy with my team. A lot of guys made a lot of sacrifices. This is not only mine–this is theirs, too, and it is for my family and my country.”
Only 30, Rodriguez has encountered a lengthy UFC journey. He was 22 when he first signed in November of 2014, making a memorable debut by winning The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America tournament at UFC 180. Nearly a decade passed before he earned a title shot. Even with the interim belt, his goal remains the same–become the undisputed UFC champion.
There is an even tougher path in front of him. All three former UFC interim featherweight champions—Conor McGregor, José Aldo, and Max Holloway—became the undisputed champ. In order for Rodriguez to join that elite group, he will need to defeat reigning featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, who has even more to prove after losing a close bout by decision this past Saturday to Islam Makhachev.
For Rodriguez, there is an equal amount to prove after his win at UFC 284.
“Alexander Volkanovski is an amazing fighter,” Rodriguez says. “I have the chance to fight one of the greatest ever. I can’t wait.”
