Yair Rodriguez Record: 20-5-0

Rise up the featherweight ladder

He launched his official UFC run in November 2014 with a decision over Leonardo Morales at UFC 180, then strung together wins over Charles Rosa and Dan Hooker in 2015. His highlight-reel gifts came to the fore in 2016 with a head-kick stoppage of Andre Fili and a five-round split decision over Alex Caceres. In January 2017 he produced a star-making performance, finishing UFC legend BJ Penn with head kicks and punches in the second round. A doctor-stoppage loss to Frankie Edgar later that year was a reality check, but he answered it emphatically.

The buzzer-beater and contender years

In November 2018, Rodriguez authored one of the most iconic moments in UFC history, knocking out Chan Sung Jung with an upward elbow in the final second of the fifth round. After a no-contest and then a clear decision win over Jeremy Stephens in their 2019 pairing, he pushed pound-for-pound great Max Holloway to a competitive five-round decision in 2021, then stopped Brian Ortega via injury in 2022.

Title run

That stretch earned Rodriguez his championship opportunity. At UFC 284 in February 2023 he captured UFC gold, submitting Josh Emmett with a slick triangle choke in the second round of a title bout. He moved on to a unification clash at UFC 290 in July 2023 against undisputed champion Alexander Volkanovski, where he came up short, stopped in the third round. A submission loss to Ortega in their 2024 rematch followed, but Rodriguez returned to the win column in April 2025 with a unanimous-decision victory over former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314, reaffirming his place among the division's elite.

Fighting style

Rodriguez is one of the most creative strikers in MMA, blending his taekwondo base with elbows, spinning attacks and a constant threat of head kicks; eight of his 20 wins have come by knockout, with another five by submission for a 65% finish rate. His judo and grappling give him a genuine submission game, as the Emmett triangle proved, and his cardio over five rounds is elite. The flip side is a high-risk approach that has occasionally left him open to power punchers and pressure, but his unpredictability and finishing ability make him a nightmare matchup on any given night.

Career highlights

• UFC featherweight champion — submitted Josh Emmett by triangle choke at UFC 284 to claim the belt.
• Last-second knockout of the year — flattened Chan Sung Jung with an upward elbow in the dying seconds of the fifth round, one of the most replayed finishes in UFC history.
• Finished a UFC icon — stopped Hall of Famer BJ Penn with head kicks and punches to announce himself as a future contender.