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Yair Rodriguez is only hours out from his win in the UFC Long Island main event, and he's already been called out for his next fight by the No. 9 ranked featherweight, Bryce Mitchell. Rodriguez will likely hold out for the next title shot instead.
During the fight week buildup, Rodriguez revealed that the UFC guaranteed him a title shot with a win against Ortega. 'El Pantera' looked impressive early on, but ultimately won with an anti-climatic finish after 'T-City' separated his shoulder in the first round.
Despite Rodriguez supposedly getting the next title shot, Mitchell went on Twitter after the UFC Long Island main event and called him out by saying:
"can i fite yair and get a title shot after i win? cause if so i will do that"
Mitchell is currently 6-0 in the UFC, with his last win against Edson Barboza at UFC 272. Although 'Thug Nasty' will likely fight for the title one day, it still feels like he needs another top 10 opponent before fighting in a title eliminator.
With that said, crazier matchups have materialized in the past, so respect to the 27-year-old for shooting his shot.
What's next for Yair Rodriguez?
Rodriguez's win was not a statement victory due to the freak injury, but he showed off some of his exciting striking and improvements in his grappling. 'El Pantera' was on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani last week and had this to say when asked about getting a title shot with a win against Ortega:
"Yes, that has been said to me. That's what we're looking for."
There are still several ways this could play out. Josh Emmett is another fighter deserving of a title shot with his five-win streak, including the last two being Dan Ige and Calvin Kattar. Volkanovski is recovering from a hand injury, so the possibility of an interim title is present.
The UFC could also decide that Emmett needs another win, giving Rodriguez time to prepare while he waits for Volkanovski to recover. Regardless of how the situation plays out, 'El Pantera' should be fighting for the undisputed or interim title next.
Watch Yair Rodriguez's interview on The MMA Hour and more below:
