Saturday, June 3, 2023
  • Login
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
All Access MMA
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
All Access MMA
No Result
View All Result

Yair Rodriguez Reveals He Hasn’t Sparred Ahead of Fight Night Bout vs Brian Oregeta

"They don’t pay for that. They pay me to fight once I’m up in the cage."

Cole Shelton by Cole Shelton
11 months ago
in Featherweight, Fight News, General, Upcoming Events
Reading Time: 2 mins read
2
Yair Rodriguez

(credit: Juan Cardenas)

10
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterReddit

Yair Rodriguez made a significant change to his training camp ahead of his UFC Long Island main event against Brian Ortega.

With the winner likely to get a featherweight title shot, the stakes are high for this one, and for Rodriguez, he says he didn’t spar in training for this fight. “El Pantera” says he wanted to avoid injuries and be as healthy as possible which is why he didn’t spar.

Not Sparring is Nothing New for Yair Rodriguez

“(I’m not sparring), and that’s something I’ve been saying for many years now,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’ve shared it with my coaches and my training partners, and I always tell them, ‘Don’t you dare touch my face. If you hit me, I’m going to hit you.’ That’s how injuries start.

RelatedPosts

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

Henry Cejudo believes UFC 288 title fight against Aljamain Sterling ‘doesn’t go past three rounds’

“That’s the reason why you don’t make it to the fights,” he continued, “because you go in there, and you want to show off in the gym with someone else and then there are injuries. So no, I’m not interested in taking hits during training. They don’t pay for that. They pay me to fight once I’m up in the cage. I try to save myself from as much impact as I can possibly have to my head.”

For Saturdays #UFCLongIsland main event

56% of bets are on Brian Ortega (-175) vs. Yair Rodriguez (+145) per @BodogCA

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/tScXoCdfkV

— James Lynch (@LynchOnSports) July 15, 2022

Dropping sparring from training is nothing new. Former featherweight champion Max Holloway has been vocal about not sparring to help with brain damage.

Brain Damage Concerns in MMA Sparring

Yair Rodriguez, meanwhile, says that is a key reason why he didn’t spar. He believes if he continues to take brain damage in training, he won’t be able to fight as often as he wants and will likely have to end his career early.

“I don’t look to send a message to anybody,” Rodriguez said. “For me, this is very personal. Everything that I do is for me. I don’t do things to prove something to people or anything like that. The only motive I have to finish this fight is so I don’t have much impact on my body and I could return much quicker to competition. If I continue to take damage to the head and body, I’m going to have to keep taking time off, and I don’t have much time on my hands. I turn 30 years old this year and would like to start finishing my fights as soon as possible.”

Rodriguez is coming off a decision loss to Holloway last November and, should he win against Ortega, he has said he will get a title shot.

Tags: Brian OrtegaMax Hollowayufcufc fight nightUFC Long IslandYair Rodriguez
Cole Shelton

Cole Shelton

Related Posts

Paul Craig in the Octagon
Fight News

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

May 4, 2023
100
Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the octagon
Fight News

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

May 4, 2023
100
Jorge Masvidal on the scale
Fight News

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

May 4, 2023
100
Load More

Latest

Paul Craig in the Octagon

Paul Craig announces move down to middleweight, calls out Sean Strickland: ‘How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?’

May 4, 2023
Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the octagon

Justin Gaethje reveals Dustin Poirier turned down The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching role

May 4, 2023
Jorge Masvidal on the scale

Jorge Masvidal not ruling out a return to fighting: ‘I’ll never say I can’t come back’

May 4, 2023
Henry Cejudo in the cage

Henry Cejudo believes UFC 288 title fight against Aljamain Sterling ‘doesn’t go past three rounds’

April 30, 2023
Sergei Pavlovich in the cage

Daniel Cormier advises Sergei Pavlovich to not take another fight and be backup fighter for Jones-Miocic

April 30, 2023

Find us on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

All Access MMA

© 2021 All Access MMA - Cage coverage, anaysis and news.

Navigation

  • Home
  • Privacy/Cookie policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Part of the Project Spurs Network

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Fight News
  • Videos
  • Podcast

© 2021 All Access MMA - Cage coverage, anaysis and news.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.