Whats the deal with Yair Rodriguez?

[Mesos]

I just don't get Yair or the choices he makes. Guy has had a strange career. For those unaware Yair's career goes something like this:

-Mexican guy with high level Tae Kwon Do
-Wins TUF Latin America
-Run thru division and has a good 6 win streak
-Gets babied by Dana (he likes Mexican fighters)
-Hits the wall with Frankie Edgar, would have got title fight if he won but has his wrestling exposed and gets dominated
-Starts to act like a diva, complains about contract, gets picky about opponents,
-Takes year off and has epic comeback fight with Zombie, hits an amazing spinning elbow to win last minute.
-Gone for a year, Pokes Jeremy Stephens in eye in comeback. Acts like a Diva again
-Has weird emotional outburst on Bisping, has general anger problems
-Relentlessly ducks a Zabit fight
-Disappears again for 2 years, avoids Usada tests and gets suspended
-Epic comeback fight with Max, almost wins and then breaks Ortegas arm by accident in next one.

And now Yair wants to sit out until next year for a title fight. By far one of the strangest careers in UFC and it's definitely because of how Yair is as a person. Dude seems like a really intense guy in celebrating to lol

 

[Fact Checker]

The UFC has always coddled him because he has drawing power with the Mexican demographic they’re going after.

Because of this, he’s become unbearably entitled and possibly plateaued as a fighter. It’s a joke that a guy who’s 1-1 in his last two fights wants to sit out and jump the line with guys like Emmett, Allen, Evloev, Topuria, etc all doing it the right way on big win streaks.

 

[Dorkman]

He definitely seems to be one of those guys who just decides something does or does not work for them. And they stick with/go with it even if it's an unpopular decision and not really caring what the audience cares about. I definitely agree that i think he has some questionable view points of things at times. But it's his career at the end of the day. So definitely his freedom to navigate it how he pleases.

 

[Koro_11]

Nothing new here, Dana has a hard on for anything Mexican or UK, and will go out of his way to prop up those fighters whether they deserve it or not.

Yair is fun to watch, but he’s very hard to root for.

Also he should definitely accept the Emmett fight because it’s his only realistic chance to win any type of belt. Volk would absolutely maul him.

 

[DestinedAussie]

I just don't get Yair or the choices he makes. Guy has had a strange career. For those unaware Yair's career goes something like this:

-Mexican guy with high level Tae Kwon Do
-Wins TUF Latin America
-Run thru division and has a good 6 win streak
-Gets babied by Dana (he likes Mexican fighters)
-Hits the wall with Frankie Edgar, would have got title fight if he won but has his wrestling exposed and gets dominated
-Starts to act like a diva, complains about contract, gets picky about opponents,
-Takes year off and has epic comeback fight with Zombie, hits an amazing spinning elbow to win last minute.
-Gone for a year, Pokes Jeremy Stephens in eye in comeback. Acts like a Diva again
-Has weird emotional outburst on Bisping, has general anger problems
-Relentlessly ducks a Zabit fight
-Disappears again for 2 years, avoids Usada tests and gets suspended
-Epic comeback fight with Max, almost wins and then breaks Ortegas arm by accident in next one.

And now Yair wants to sit out until next year for a title fight. By far one of the strangest careers in UFC and it's definitely because of how Yair is as a person. Dude seems like a really intense guy in celebrating to lol

I don't blame fighters who have a title shot sitting out and not risking losing it. Holding the UFC title is so important financially to fighters that risking losing that opportunity is crazy. He could win the next fight but get hurt and then UFC moves on to someone else for title shot.

 

[NoSmilez]

I don't think he likes to fight much because of USADA. He goes on "camping" trips a lot.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Yair broke ortega's arm he should be next. You put someone in an armbar and their arm breaks it's not an accident.
Volkanovski should just take the fight he's not getting a lw fight for awhile anyways.

 

[El Fernas]

Has time on his side, or thats what he thinks imo, 29 years old, more time it happens better are his chances against a guy on a huge streak and while not old, 4 years older than him.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Yair broke ortega's arm he should be next. You put someone in an armbar and their arm breaks it's not an accident.
Volkanovski should just take the fight he's not getting a lw fight for awhile anyways.

Agree that breaking Ortega's arm is on Yair. Disagree that that means he's next. Why? Solid one fight streak against a guy with high placement, but zero momentum?

-Epic comeback fight with Max, almost wins

He didn't even 'almost win,' it was just really fun, but very clearly a loss. I'll rewatch it, sure, but the result is still obvious and recent, he's behind Max and needs to play catchup, and beating Ortega, who has A win in four years, is not it

 

[BEATDOWNS]

I don't know Jerry!

 

[Reffson]

He should be offered a fight with Volk NOW.

 

[Herwald]

He's very fucking entertaining in the cage, though. So... he has leeway with his behavior.

Volk would humiliate him, though. He should take this Emmett bout cause it might be the closest he's ever gonna get to the title, as long as Volk's around.

 

[clutchCAT420]

Hes a warrior and doesnt cater to shertards. Whats not to like?

 

[KOPPE]

Its not easy to stay motivated when ur not getting paid.

 

[kingghidrah]

-Epic comeback fight with Max, almost wins

[citation needed]

 

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

Yair broke ortega's arm he should be next. You put someone in an armbar and their arm breaks it's not an accident.
Volkanovski should just take the fight he's not getting a lw fight for awhile anyways.

If it's not an accident, let's see him do it again.

...

No? Ok then, it was, in fact, a freak chance event.

Yair's career is well overrated. His best performance is a loss versus an over the hill Max. Hardly any good wins that were deserved, the two fluke wins are basically his best ones.

It's no wonder he wants to sit out till he gets a title shot, he's not that good and will probably lose his next title eliminator fight.

 

[felmmando]

-Epic comeback fight with Max, almost wins and then breaks Ortegas arm by accident in next one.

Almost wins? Did we watch the same fight?

 

[Mesos]

[citation needed]

Almost wins? Did we watch the same fight?

Yair had some good moments in that fight and pushed Max. I would not count out Yair in a rematch but yes Max definitely deserved the win.

 

[HeDidn'tWantTheFight]

Yair had some good moments in that fight and pushed Max. I would not count out Yair in a rematch but yes Max definitely deserved the win.

The way I've always described it is fun and competitive, but everybody knew what the scorecards were going to say.

 

[HeDidn'tWantTheFight]

Yair's always seemed to be a bit of a high maintenance diva who somehow always ends up in fights with bizarre results. Freak elbow on KZ one second before he would've lost a decision to him, cat scratching Stephens's cornea five seconds into a main event in his home country, and now we have bizarre should dislocation TKO on Ortega.