Yair Rodriguez came up short in the biggest fight of his MMA career, yet the young fighter remains optimistic.
Almost two weeks ago, the Mexican featherweight prospect took on former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar on the main card of UFC 211 in Dallas, Texas. Edgar didn’t hesitate to wrestle his way into top position and ground-and-pound Rodriguez for most of the 10-minute fight. Entering the third and final round, the doctor overseeing the featherweight contest stopped the bout, as Rodriguez’ left eye was badly swollen. The stoppage not only signaled defeat for Rodriguez, but also marked Rodriguez’ first loss in the promotion and the end of an eight-fight win streak.