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Yair RodriguezProfessional mixed martial artist
Date of Birth: 06.10.1992
Country:  Mexico |
Content:
- Early Life and Family
- Personal Life
- MMA Career
- The Ultimate Fighter
- UFC Career
- - Defeated Dan Hooker via unanimous decision.
- 2017:
- 2018:
- - Won the award for Knockout of the Year (vs. Jung).
- - Defeated Stephens via split decision in a rematch.
- Accomplishments
- - Rodriguez holds a black belt in taekwondo.
Early Life and Family
Yair Rodriguez, born on October 6, 1992, to Rigoberto Rodriguez Olivas and Norma Alicia Portillo, hails from the mountains of Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico. His large and close-knit family includes a brother, sister, and other relatives, one of whom is his cousin, boxer Misael Rodriguez.
Growing up, Rodriguez and his siblings watched MMA videos that featured legends like Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. While he participated in taekwondo tournaments from the age of five, Rodriguez did not initially consider pursuing martial arts seriously. However, at age 17, he and his mother discovered an MMA gym in the center of Parral. Soon, he spent most of his time there, training and studying the techniques of his idols.
Personal Life
Rodriguez remains focused on his athletic career rather than relationships. He is currently single and dedicates his attention to his fighting regimen. In an interview, he stated that he has no time for romantic relationships as he prioritizes his career. Rumors have linked him to fellow UFC fighter Alexa Grasso in the past. On social media, Rodriguez primarily shares content related to competitions, training, and his family.
MMA Career
Debut and Early FightsRodriguez made his professional MMA debut in October 2011 at regional tryouts in Mexico. In his first fight, he defeated Jonathan Guzman via unanimous decision.
In 2012, he suffered losses against Edgar Juarez and Luis Roberto Herrera. Rodriguez sought revenge and defeated Juarez by knockout at a Mexican Fighter Promotions event. Later that year, he attended UFC tryouts held at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Mexico City. Impressing the organization despite a lack of Mexican representation, Rodriguez joined a dozen other hopefuls selected for a development program. He primarily worked with coach Mike Valle.
The Ultimate Fighter
In 2014, Rodriguez won a submission victory over Angelo Durante at NP-High Altitude Face Off 6. He then won his first two fights in the inaugural The Ultimate Fighter Latin America tournament, both via submission and technical knockout, to advance to the final. He ultimately defeated Leonardo Morales via unanimous decision that night.
UFC Career
2015:- Defeated Andre Fili via second-round head kick knockout, winning Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, and a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
- Defeated Charles Rosa via split decision, earning his second Fight of the Night bonus.
- Defeated Dan Hooker via unanimous decision.
2016:- Defeated Andre Fili for the second time via second-round knockout, earning Fight of the Night honors.
- Defeated Alex Caceres via split decision, with both fighters earning Fight of the Night bonuses.
2017:
- Defeated BJ Penn via second-round technical knockout, receiving Fight of the Night honors.
- Lost to Frankie Edgar via technical knockout after a doctor's stoppage due to an eye injury.
2018:
- Defeated Chan Sung Jung ("The Korean Zombie") via last-second knockout after replacing the injured Frankie Edgar.
- Defeated Jeremy Stephens via eye poke, earning Performance of the Night honors.
- Set the record for the latest knockout in MMA history (4:59 of round 5) against Jung.
- Won the award for Knockout of the Year (vs. Jung).
2019:- Drew with Jeremy Stephens in a disappointing fight that ended in a 15-second eye poke.
- Defeated Stephens via split decision in a rematch.
Injury and Recent ActivityRodriguez was scheduled to fight Zabit Magomedsharipov in August 2020, but withdrew due to an ankle injury. The fight had previously been postponed when Rodriguez refused to fight Magomedsharipov in 2018. No fights have been scheduled for Rodriguez in 2021.
Accomplishments
- FMP Featherweight Champion (2014)- Winner of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America (2014)
- Fight of the Night (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Performance of the Night (2015, 2018)
- Latest knockout in MMA history (2018)
- Knockout of the Year (2018)
Interesting Facts
- Rodriguez's nickname is "Pantera" (Panther).
- A documentary film titled "El Pantera" was released about Rodriguez in 2018.
- Rodriguez holds a black belt in taekwondo.
- He has also trained in judo, boxing, and kickboxing.- Rodriguez is a left-handed fighter who stands 6'0" (1.80 m) tall and weighs between 135-145 lbs (61-65 kg).
