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On Saturday, Yair Rodriguez lost via unanimous decision to former featherweight champion Max Holloway. While he did not get the outcome he wanted from the fight, Rodriguez's strong performance cemented his status as one of the top fighters in his division.
Losing to Max Holloway is an experience a number of the UFC's elite featherweights have shared. Rodriguez came much closer to beating 'Blessed' than most, with two of the judges scoring the fight 48-47.
If anything, his tightly contested loss may have helped Rodriguez increase his stock at 145 pounds. He can add this Fight of the Night performance to an impressive resume that has seen him beat the likes of Dan Hooker, B.J. Penn and 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung.
With us now able to look ahead towards Yair Rodriguez's next fight, we can assume the Mexican will be matched up with another top contender. Rodriguez has earned the right to be in high-profile bouts with the division's best.
Whether it be a surging contender or a top fighter looking to rebound from a high-profile loss, here are five potential matchups for 'El Pantera'.
#5. Yair Rodriguez vs. Calvin Kattar
Calvin Kattar, like Yair Rodriguez, suffered a unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway last time out. The bout was a much more one-sided affair and as such, Kattar has likely fallen a little further from the title picture than Rodriguez as a result.
However, Kattar has the chance to rectify that when he takes on Giga Chikadze in January 2022. Should Kattar be able to stop Chikadze's momentum and pick up the win, he would shoot right back up towards the top of the division.
If that were to happen, Kattar vs. Rodriguez would make a lot of sense. The two talented strikers are bound to put on an entertaining fight that could have real implications at the top of the featherweight division.
Kattar appears to be the perfect level of opponent for Rodriguez's next bout, as a win would put him back in a position to be fighting Max Holloway or Alexander Volkanovski.
#4. Yair Rodriguez vs. Giga Chikadze
If this pick tells you anything, it is that Yair Rodriguez should be watching the upcoming fight between Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze closely. The winner of that bout could certainly move on to a fight with 'El Pantera'.
Chikadze has looked sensational of late. He is on an eight-fight win streak with three knockouts in each of his last three bouts. His current form has included some notable wins, such as his most recent two triumphs over Cub Swanson and Edson Barboza.
The fight would make sense for both parties. Chikadze could look to add the biggest name yet to his UFC resume as he continues to climb the rankings and Rodriguez could bounce back quickly if here were able to halt Chikadze's hype train.
Lastly, the striking in this bout would be off the charts, particularly given the level of kicks we have seen from both these men in recent performances.
#3. Yair Rodriguez vs. Arnold Allen
While Arnold Allen may not be the most talked about man in the featherweight division, he is ranked No.6, is on a 10-fight win streak and is yet to suffer a loss in the UFC.
While these facts have not yet translated to Allen getting MMA fans everywhere buzzing with excitement, he certainly seems ready for a step up in opposition. Yair Rodriguez would certainly provide the toughest challenge Allen has faced to date.
The bout could also appeal to Rodriguez as Allen could provide an opportunity to rebound with a win over a high-ranked opponent. He might also fancy his chances against a comparably unproven opponent.
#2. Yair Rodriguez vs. Chan Sung Jung 2
Yair Rodriguez famously knocked out 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung in the final second of the pair's 2018 meeting. With that fight now over three years behind us, perhaps now is the time to run it back.
'The Korean Zombie' and 'El Pantera' are two of the most popular fighters in the division not named Max Holloway. They also both ranked at the top of the division, meaning neither man would likely fall too far were they to lose this potential fight.
Pitting these two against each other would ensure one of them heads right back into the title picture. This would likely appeal to the UFC as neither man has faced current champion Alexander Volkanovski.
#1. Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega
Brian Ortega came agonizingly close to winning the UFC featherweight championship in his last bout. Given Yair Rodriguez also came close to upsetting a former featherweight champion, maybe this is the fight to make next.
Both men currently sit in the top give of the division and so, once again, neither man would lose too much ground were they to be unsuccessful in this potential bout. It would also be a fresh first-time matchup between two of the division's biggest stars.
Ortega likely needs a win to get back into a title fight so could be keen for this fight. For Rodriguez, this bout would provide a huge opportunity to pick up a win over the man who is largely considered the third best in the division at the moment, behind Volkanovski and Holloway.
