Yair Rodriguez has expressed his dislike for Ilia Topuria, criticizing him for talking too much and taking an easier path to the title, and has expressed his desire to fight him, despite believing Alexander Volkanovski will retain the featherweight title in their upcoming fight.
Yair Rodriguez doesn’t exactly hold Ilia Topuria in high regard. This Saturday, Topuria is set to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 298 in Anaheim, Calif. It’s Volkanovski’s first fight since his knockout by Islam Makhachev last October. The quick comeback has raised eyebrows, with many worried about the long-standing featherweight champ.
Rodriguez, though, still has faith in Volkanovski. He admits, “I was surprised about him taking another fight after the KO, so soon against Topuria.” In a chat with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, he added, “I think he did a little bit of a mistake there. I would have waited a little bit longer.”
Still, Rodriguez is backing Volkanovski to win. He muses, “I just think in all the possibilities, the only reason I think Topuria could win is [Volkanovski] won’t be 100 percent. Not mentally, but maybe physically, inside of his head. Who knows what happens after you get a KO. Topuria hits hard. There are several factors.” But he’s quick to add, “That’s the only thing that I think can affect Volkanovski. He’s really smart, he’s really good. I think he’s a way better fighter than Topuria, and I think he will win.”
Rodriguez has first-hand experience with Volkanovski. He faced him last July, losing by third-round TKO in their featherweight title unification bout at UFC 290. This experience might be shaping his perspective. But his confidence in Volkanovski might also be fueled by his disdain for Topuria.
Rodriguez doesn’t mince words. “I just don’t f****** like the guy,” he says. “He talks so much s***, and I think it was an easy way for him to go and fight for the title. I’m not only going to say me, but different fighters, we have to go fight like true warriors, true f****** lions, and this guy, I think it was an easier way to go and fight for the title. That’s it. I think the UFC is making it easy for him.”
He acknowledges Topuria’s marketing skills. “He does a pretty good job marketing himself. The biggest thing in this sport, if you know how to market yourself, you get the better deals, you get the better fights. It’s no secret.” But he adds, “I just don’t f****** like the guy…”
Rodriguez is irked that Topuria gets better fights because of his mouth, not his skills. He says, “It’s sad that people like him get the better fights because of his mouth, not because of his fights. I don’t f****** like that. Regardless of the result of this fight, I would f****** like to f*** him up.”
If Rodriguez is wrong and Topuria beats Volkanovski, his wish to face the Spaniard might not come true. Topuria has said that if he wins, he’ll target a fight with Conor McGregor over giving opponents like Rodriguez a title shot. Rodriguez, unsurprisingly, isn’t thrilled about that.
“He’s f****** delusional,” Rodriguez says. “He’s not even f****** in the same world as us. Another f****** planet. I’m pretty sure Volkanovski is going to do the first job in f****** him up and then he’s going to have to eat all of these words and everybody is going to be f****** laughing at him, I can assure you of that…”
Rodriguez is scheduled to face Brian Ortega in a five-round rematch at UFC Mexico later this month. Given the current featherweight title picture and his belief that Volkanovski will retain the belt, Rodriguez doesn’t see a fight with Topuria happening immediately. But when it does, he’d relish the opportunity to settle their differences – even on Topuria’s home turf.
“If I win my fight against Brian Ortega, which I’m planning on doing, and Alexander Volkanovski wins, I would like to face Volkanovski, of course,” Rodriguez says. “Why would I face [Topuria]? He has nothing to offer. But I would like to face him, at some point, and f*** him up.”
“If UFC plans to go to Spain, f***, I would love to fight in Spain. It’s his house. I would love to f****** beat him in his house.”