Yair Rodriguez says he doesn’t want to just fight Ilia Topuria but wants to “f**k him up”

By Cole Shelton - February 21, 2024

Yair Rodriguez is happy Ilia Topuria became the featherweight champion, as he wants to hurt the Georgian-Spaniard to win the title.

Yair Rodriguez and Ilia Topuria

Before Topuria fought Alexander Volkanovski for the title at UFC 298, he and Rodriguez had been taking shots at one another as the two clearly don’t see eye to eye. Topuria also said he wouldn’t give Rodriguez a title shot, which added some fuel to their rivalry.

Now, ahead of UFC Mexico City where Yair Rodriguez takes on Brian Ortega in the co-main event, the Mexican not only wants to beat Ilia Topuria, but he wants to f**k him up.

“I’ll love to f**k him up. I don’t want to fight him, I want to f**k him up, there is a f*****g big difference on that, to make that clear. Wherever I see him, I will f**k him up… F***k this bitch, I don’t like him,” Rodriguez said at UFC Mexico City media day.

When asked how his hatred towards Ilia Topuria started, Yair Rodriguez says the now featherweight champ first started talking shit to him, which he responded to. But it has since gotten personal as the Mexican says he doesn’t like him and wants to f**k him up.

“He was just talking shit about me and I made fun of him on social media and he started f*****g saying all kinds of shit so I kept on firing back, and that’s it,” Yair Rodriguez said. “I don’t normally get into these kind of situations with anybody, I’m really respectful. This f*****g guy, I don’t really like him, I don’t like him, I don’t have to like him, I want to f**k him up, that is what I want to do.”

With Rodriguez and Ilia Topuria having a rivalry already, the Mexican believes a win over Brian Ortega on Saturday should get him a title shot.

“Yeah, that is what I think is next up for us, whoever wins the title is next,” Rodriguez said.

Yair Rodriguez enters his UFC Mexico City fight against Brian Ortega coming off TKO loss to Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title last July.


Topics:

Ilia Topuria UFC Yair Rodriguez