UFC Fight Night: Yair Rodriguez makes huge claim ahead of main event

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By Jake Skudder

Published Jul 12, 2022

Here is what Yair Rodriguez revealed ahead of his major UFC Fight Night main event against Brian Ortega on Saturday, July 16th 2022.

UFC Fight Night returns this weekend and main eventer Yair Rodriguez has revealed that the company has made a huge offer to him should he defeat Brian Ortega on Saturday night.

Ortega and Rodriguez are the #2 and #3 ranked Featherweight fighters in the company respectively, so this bout will have huge implications going forward.

Alexander Volkanovski is sitting atop the division as the reigning king, and he’ll be wanting to know who his next opponent will be as soon as possible.

Here is what Yair Rodriguez revealed ahead of his major UFC Fight Night main event against Brian Ortega on Saturday, July 16th 2022.

Yair Rodriguez on UFC offer

Eugene Bareman believes Alexander Volkanovski is 'the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.'

Speaking on The MMA Hour (via MMA Junkie), Rodriguez revealed that the company has said he will be next in line for a UFC Featherweight title shot against Volkanovski should he beat Ortega.

He said: “Yes, that has been said to me. That’s what we’re looking for. First things first, I’m going to win this fight and then give the champ some time to heal and then go for it. Right now let’s just take it step-by-step. First things first is Brian Ortega.”

Volkanovski recently defeated Max Holloway at UFC 276 to cement his place as the best 145-pound fighter in the world and potentially the pound-for-pound great in the UFC.

It remains to be seen if the company will offer Rodriguez the next shot at the Featherweight champ, but an impressive win against Ortega would certainly help his case.

Yair Rodriguez’s Next Fight

PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 15: Yair Rodriguez crawls into the Octagon to fight BJ Penn during the UFC Fight Night event at the at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 15, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Here is the full fight card for UFC Fight Night on Saturday, July 16th 2022 from the UBS Arena in Elmont, United States according to the official UFC website as of Tuesday 12th July 2022:

Prelims