'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBAAAgEEAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFBhEHExYxUQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAURAAIDAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRACExMv/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AnDpLs+reJ5oSa/bTXOEx6XFxM0EY7qGOWAovs8sXVy30VM01vjnmkZElCl2KjkDgE0pQ6wCS2Ix8q4we+jTynfdpzWnfDI8CKxAA0IAo6HP/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Yair Rodriguez has come a long way since joining the UFC, but that wasn't always the case despite earning a six-figure UFC contract after winning The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America.
After submitting Josh Emmett at UFC 284, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani tweeted a video describing the difficult financial situation the newly-crowned interim featherweight champion was in 8 years ago.
He wrote:
"Less than 8 years ago, Yair Rodriguez had less than 400 dollars to his name. He’s now the interim UFC featherweight champion."
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Fans reacted to the clip and complimented the former TUF: Latin America winner for never giving up:
"A brilliant story"
"That’s incredible. Never give up"
"Such a good and humble guy"
In the interview clip, 'Pantera' spoke about his financial situation, which exemplifies the kind of adversity fighters have to overcome outside the octagon. He mentioned how happy he was to earn the $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus, saying:
"I think less, bro [less than $400 to his name]. This means so much for me, bro [$50, 000 bonus]. I've been working hard...I'm just so happy and I'm gonna keep moving forward and keep training hard."
The 30-year-old is now doing well for himself and could be set for a title unification bout with reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Yair Rodriguez becomes interim featherweight champion at UFC 284
Yair Rodriguez made a statement with his impressive win over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. The interim featherweight championship is significant because it means he will now either receive the next title shot against Alexander Volkanovski or defend his interim title if 'Volk' competes at lightweight again.
'Pantera' showcased his elite striking as he overwhelmed Emmett en route to a second-round submission win after forcing him to tap out via triangle choke. In doing so, he extended his winning streak to two straight wins that also include his win over Brian Ortega.
It's refreshing to see a clear No.1 contender emerge in the featherweight division as Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski have set themselves apart from the other contenders at 145 lbs in recent years.
