Yair Rodriguez surprised Emmett with an unorthodox style.
On the night of February 12, UFC 284 took place in Perth, Australia, in the co-main event of which Yair Rodriguez faced Josh Emmett. The Mexican and the American fought for a temporary belt in the featherweight division. The undisputed title holder, Alex Volkanovski, entered the cage right behind them to fight for the UFC lightweight title.
Rodriguez got his shot at the belt after a sloppy win over Brian Ortega when T City lost in the first round with a shoulder injury. Prior to this fight, Yair had a decent fight with Max Holloway, but failed to cope with the Hawaiian. Before Holloway, El Panther’s career pause was two years – in October 2019, he defeated Jeremy Stevens by decision. Moreover, in September of the same year, the fight between Yair and Stevens already went into the octagon, but then it all ended at the 15th second with a poke in the eye, and the fight was left without a result.
Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emett.
UFC
Emmett is on a five-fight winning streak. His last fight took place in June 2022, when Josh defeated Calvin Katter by a split and highly controversial decision of the judges. The American has not lost for five years now – since in February 2018 he could not withstand the pressure of the same Jeremy Stevens in the second round.
The fighters began cautiously, but towards the middle they dispersed. Yair moved a lot, broke the distance and hit low kicks, and Emmett waited, after which he charged in series. Josh hit the Mexican head well, but Rodriguez’s unorthodox style baffled Emmett. A minute and a half before the siren, Josh had a real chance to score an opponent on the ground, but Rodriguez survived until the end of the five-minute period.
In the starting 40 seconds of the second segment, Yair and Emmett did not deliver a single blow to each other, but then they again entered the wheelhouse, and Josh powerfully checked the American’s chin several times. Rodriguez, after two minutes, charged his signature elbow and also noticeably shook his opponent. And a little later, the Mexican also threw out a flying knee, after which the fighters lay down on the canvas, where Emmett tried to beat Yair from the guard and from time to time received it himself. When Josh got carried away, Rodriguez snapped a triangle around his neck – Josh quickly gave up.
A well-deserved victory for Yair – now the Mexican will be Alex Volkanovski’s next opponent for the featherweight title. In the meantime, Rodriguez can enjoy the UFC belt, albeit a temporary one.
