Yair Rodriguez is coming off of the biggest win of his professional MMA career, as he defeated former two-division champion BJ Penn at UFC Fight Night 103. Rodriguez now wants a shot at the UFC Featherweight Title, even though the line of contenders includes interim champion Max Holloway, Cub Swanson, and Ricardo Lamas.
“The (featherweight) champion [is who Rodriguez wants to fight next],” Rodriguez said to TMZ Sports. “It doesn’t matter who - the champion.”
Rodriguez delivered Penn one of the worst beatings that he had suffered in his lengthy MMA career, and Rodriguez has no regrets about it.
“No, of course not,” Rodriguez said. “Once you’re a fighter you can not feel bad over a guy. You have to keep on kicking him, no matter what.”
Rodriguez (10-1) is currently undefeated under the UFC banner and has already headlined two UFC events, he also won the Ultimate Fighter Latin America 1. Penn is a former UFC Lightweight Champion and a former UFC Welterweight Champion, who hasn’t won a fight in over five years.
The current UFC Featherweight Champion is Jose Aldo, who is expected to make a title defense against the interim champ Holloway at some point this year. Aldo himself hasn’t competed since defeating Frankie Edgar in their rematch at UFC 200.
