UFC Vegas 42: Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez Preview

 

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has a jam-packed schedule and this Saturday we are getting what should be a very entertaining featherweight fight between Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez.

Max Holloway holds countless records for the company and will go down as the one of the greatest featherweight competitors in mixed martial arts history. The first Hawaiian UFC featherweight champion moved to lightweight briefly and challenged Dustin Poirier for the interim UFC lightweight title but he lost a unanimous decision.

Holloway didn’t become a two-division champion but he then won a unanimous decision against Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 on July 27, 2019, before losing his title against Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision at UFC 245 on December 14, 2019. He looked to get back on track and avenge his loss but Volkanovski won a split decision in the rematch at UFC 251 on July 11, 2020. He may have lost back-to-back fights but he’s still a fluent, precise striker, as seen in his unanimous decision win against Calvin Kattar at UFC on ABC 1 on January 16.

 

Born: December 4, 1991

Age: 29

Country: United States

Height: 5’11″

Weight: 145 lbs

Reach: 69″

Stance: Orthodox

Association: Gracie Technics / Hawaii Elite MMA

Class: Featherweight

Record: 22-6

 

Stats

Method of Victory
10 wins by KO/TKO
2 wins by Submission
10 wins by Decision

 

Significant Strikes

7.26 Landed

4.58 Absorbed

 

Takedowns

71% Accuracy

84% Defended

It has been over two years since Yair Rodriguez’s last trip to the octagon in a unanimous decision win against Jeremy Stephens at UFC on ESPN 6. While this fight against Holloway was initially scheduled for the summer, Rodriguez suffered an injury during training camp and it delayed the fight another three months.

The best thing Yair Rodriguez brings to this fight is his ground game, and he doesn’t have as many miles accumulated as Holloway has over his career. Is Rodriguez actually ready for the best of the division?

Born: October 6, 1992

Age: 29

Country: Mexico

Height: 5’11″

Weight: 145 lbs

Reach: 71″

Stance: Orthodox

Association: Valle Flow Striking

Class: Featherweight

Record: 13-2-1

 

Stats

Method of Victory
4 wins by KO/TKO
3 wins by Submission
6 wins by Decision

 

Significant Strikes

4.33 Landed

3.13 Absorbed

 

Takedowns

29% Accuracy

63% Defended

Rodriguez’s inactivity outside the octagon weighs just as much as inside. Few fighters as supremely conditioned like Holloway, who has elite boxing skills.

I don’t see a path for Rodriguez here. Holloway outguns him in the striking department and is the best opponent Rodriguez has faced in his career. If Holloway gets in a rhythm, the strikes will pile up and he’ll likely get a stoppage.