LAS VEGAS – It’s been more than two years since Yair Rodriguez set foot inside the octagon, but he wants to make it clear that he’s more than prepared for the biggest fight of his career. To “El Pantera,” a matchup with former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is exactly the type of fight he’s worked for since he began his martial arts journey. “I’ve been waiting for these, like, forever – like I’ve been trying to get big names,” Rodriguez told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “That’s what I’ve been fighting for all my life, my career, like fighting people that are in front of me in the rankings, people that are going to put me in a better position, not guys that are behind me.” Rodriguez (13-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Holloway (22-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) meet in the headlining bout of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 197 event, which streams live on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex.
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