The UFC featherweight interim champion has been decided.
Yair Rodriguez (30, Mexico), ranked 2nd in the UFC featherweight rankings, won a submission victory over 5th place Josh Emmett (37, USA) in 4 minutes and 19 seconds of the second round. Yair Rodriguez became the interim featherweight champion.
Josh Emmett and Yair Rodriguez fought for the interim featherweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia on the 12th (Korean time).
In the current UFC featherweight division, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (35, Australia) moved to lightweight and challenged lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (31, Russia). Because of this, a variable was created. Josh Emmett and Yair Rodriguez headed to the interim championship. The interim champion can get the right to fight for the title when the champion returns, and takes over the champion position if the champion’s return is difficult.
Emmett’s opponent, Rodriguez, is a taekwondo base and has a strong kick. From the age of five he learned Taekwondo and earned a black belt. Rodriguez is well known to domestic fans for his 2018 come-from-behind elbow KO victory over Chan-sung Jeong, the “Korean Zombie,” right before the end.
The match where Rodriguez 먹튀검증solidified his second place in the rankings was against Brian Ortega at ‘UFC on ABC 3’ in July last year. At that time, Rodriguez attempted an armbar on the ground, injuring Ortega’s shoulder as he tried to get out, and won by TKO in the first round.
Emmett boasts powerful punching power. Even in a match he is losing, he can win by KO if he succeeds in just one straight hit.
Rodriguez is wary of Emmett. “Emmett is a dangerous opponent. He can deal damage with just one punch. We expect him to appear at his best.”
Emmett said, “Rodriguez is dynamic, hard to hit, and has great skills.” He set up a strategy of “I will succeed in punching by attacking loopholes that cannot be fixed with the 10-week camp.”
Rodriguez attacked Emmett with a mix of head kicks, body kicks and carf kicks. Overall, the movement was one beat fast. Emmett took advantage of Rodriguez’s fall and put in an elbow and pounding from above.
Rodriguez tried to keep his distance. Emmett took a hit to the side of his body and closed the distance to get closer. Rather, he struggled with a hit-and-run strategy, such as allowing Rodriguez an elbow. Emmett tried to fight on the ground when Rodriguez fell while attempting a flying knee. However, Rodriguez put his left leg around Emmett’s neck and succeeded in the triangle choke. Rodriguez won by submission at 4:19 of the second round.
In a post-match interview, Rodriguez said, “Thank you to the Australian fans. He has good manners and is hot. I am also grateful to the Mexican fans.” Regarding the match between Volkanovski and Makachev, he said, “I don’t know yet. Good luck to both players.”
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev won the main event match between Makhachev and Volkanovski on the same day. If Volkanovski returns to featherweight, he will fight Yair Rodriguez for the unification title.