Diego Lopes and Yair Rodriguez had some heated altercations throughout the closing press convention previous to UFC 314 in April, and it seems the promotion was aiming to guide them up for a featherweight conflict at this 12 months’s Noche UFC occasion.
UFC 320, also referred to as Noche UFC 3, was anticipated to happen in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sept. 13. Nonetheless, attributable to constructions delays with the Guadalajara venue, UFC 320 was moved to Oct. 4 in Las Vegas and the Sept. 13 Noche UFC occasion is now set for San Antonio. On Sunday, Lopes claimed in a social media put up that Rodriguez turned down a suggestion to face him on the Sept. 13 present.
“Hey, Yair Rodríguez, I simply realized that you simply acquired a name from Hunter [Campbell] and refused to battle me at Noche UFC,” Lopes wrote in Spanish. “The place is the person who was in entrance of me on the press convention?”
Lopes was days away from difficult Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant title, a battle he misplaced through choice. Rodriguez defeated former Bellator two-division champion Patricio Pitbull on that very same card and hoped he can be subsequent for Volkanovski.
Rodriguez launched a video hours after Lopes’ feedback with a response, by which he confirmed he was approached with a suggestion and defined why “that doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Proper now I’m on the way in which to assist Ignacio Bajamondes in his subsequent battle, I’m heading to Baku,” Rodriguez mentioned, “and nicely, as all the time, this rattling sport is basically arduous, actually. I’d adore it—I actually would adore it—if issues have been a bit completely different, as a result of the whole lot has was a circus. Actually. I noticed someplace that {that a}****** Diego Lopes is saying I don’t need to battle him, and that’s completely not the case. Actually, I used to be a little bit disenchanted with the UFC for the truth that they provided me a battle with him as a result of yeah, they did not too long ago provide me that battle.
“Let’s rewind a bit. What occurred? Once I had the chance to battle Diego, he mentioned no as a result of I used to be coming off a loss. Now he’s coming off a loss and needs to battle me. That doesn’t make sense to me. That’s one factor. One other factor is, clearly, I’ve received no drawback preventing him. In case you ask me, I’d reasonably battle him within the rattling road, as a result of for me, a battle with him within the firm doesn’t do something. They’re not going to pay me extra. It doesn’t do a rattling factor. It doesn’t put me in a greater place both as a result of he’s coming off a loss.”
On prime of that, Rodriguez, a one-time UFC interim featherweight titleholder, revealed he must renew his visa to enter the USA, and likewise cope with an damage for which a health care provider really helpful surgical procedure.
“Clearly, I’m doing the whole lot I can to keep away from that being the case,” Rodriguez mentioned. “However hey, we’ll see the place this complete state of affairs takes me—to make clear, that’s my place. I haven’t turned down the battle. Quite the opposite, I’d be very happy to battle this little piece of shit and his complete shitty staff that’s sitting round over there. And that’s it, proper? Simply need folks to grasp my place, as a result of clearly they’re beginning to go on the assault, and nicely—as all the time—attacking somebody after they’re down, after they’re harm, is actual straightforward. Proper? However anyway, that’s that. I’m going to first examine on my well being, see if I can keep away from surgical procedure as a lot as doable. If not, nicely, I’ll should undergo with it.”
Within the meantime, Rodriguez suggested Lopes to guide a battle with rising featherweight sensation Jean Silva, who destroyed Bryce Mitchell on the identical card in Miami.
“For now, I’d prefer to see Diego cease working away from Jean Silva and go take a swing at him,” Rodriguez mentioned. “If he’s so looking forward to a battle, then go throw down with Jean Silva, as a result of it appears to be like like he’s ducking him. And nicely, I’m nonetheless right here. Ready to see what they inform me.”
Lopes fired again with one other put up on social media moments later, debunking the declare that he has turned down a earlier UFC battle with the Mexican star.
“What a silly factor to say I refused to battle,” Lopes wrote on Instagram Tales. “The battle was already scheduled to be the primary occasion of UFC Mexico in February. I had accepted, when you have been simply going round in circles. The UFC modified plans and referred to as me to battle for the title. Combating on the street? No, bro, I don’t advocate that. I’m too calm as a result of I do know what I’m able to. It’s higher to have a referee concerned.”
“Let’s get to the information,” he added on a separate put up on X. “After the battle towards Volk, the UFC contacted me asking how my well being was. I advised all of them the suggestions the docs gave me. That I’d be able to battle in September. They provided Aaron Pico, I mentioned sure. Two days later, they provided me Jean Silva, I mentioned sure. When the UFC strikes the UFC night time to Santo Antonio. Yair Rodriguez, I mentioned sure. I additionally urged providing the battle towards Movsar [Evloev] or Lerone [Murphy]. When you have any doubts, ask Dana, Hunter, or Sean if I’ve ever turned down a battle. The day I flip down or don’t settle for a battle, it must be due to a really severe well being concern or as a result of I’m actually unable to battle. My profession was constructed on accepting fights; I’ve 32 skilled fights for a purpose.”
