No one knows when or if Yair Rodriguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov will be booked to fight again, but until that time comes there is still plenty of heat between them.
The two featherweight contenders saw a recently reported booking officially called off after UFC President Dana White announced that Rodriguez suffered an ankle injury that would keep him out of an Aug. 29 main event meeting with Magomedsharipov. Rodriguez and Magomedsharipov have been in each other’s orbit since they were first booked to face one another at UFC 228 in September 2018, a bout that was also cancelled due to a Rodriguez injury.
Magomedsharipov has already moved on from “El Pantera,” suggesting that he be next in line for current 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski following Volkanovski’s back-to-back wins against Max Holloway. That challenge included a shot at Rodriguez, with Magomedsharipov tweeting that Rodriguez “has no balls.”Hey (UFC) stop playing games with me! Give me a title shot! How long should I wait until you do what you promised? Before UFC 249 in April, I waited first for Rodriguez, then Ortega, then Zombie. Within a month, you changed 3-4 opponents for me, as a result, you did not organize any of the fights and told me to wait for Max and Volkanovski’s rematch, so I could fight for the title with the winner of their fight later. The rematch is long gone, let’s see how you keep your word! I deserve to fight for the title and I can take that belt.
Shortly after, Rodriguez replied with his own thoughts on the situation via Instagram, telling Magomedsharipov to wait for him and threatening that Magomedsharipov “will get a real good taste of my big Mexican balls soon enough:”(Zabit Magomedsharipov) Sit down and wait for me the way you have been waiting. You will get a real good taste of my big mexican balls soon enough and since when did you become the shit talker? That you or your manager? Either way you’ll both wait for me like the little dogs you are. Tongue out and begging. I’ll see you in October-November 5 rounds.
In Rodriguez’s response, he mentions wanting to re-book the main event matchup with Magomedsharipov for either October or November.
Both fighters are currently in the thick of the featherweight title hunt, with Rodriguez having won eight of his 10 UFC appearances (including one no contest) and Magomedsharipov sporting a 6-0 record in the promotion.
