Breakout fighters for 2016: Yair Rodriguez
After securing the title for the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” with a win over Leandro Morales, Rodriguez has won two straight fights to firmly establish himself as an elite prospect in the featherweight division.
The wins are nice, but there is more to Rodriguez that makes him a prime candidate to make a big splash this year.
First and foremost is his style.
Rodriguez, 23, possesses a vast arsenal of striking attacks that make it must-see television every time he steps in the cage. He has been training with Greg Jackson, one of the best strategists in the sport, to fine tune some of that immense raw talent.
He’s also good for business as he was born and raised in Mexico, a lucrative market the UFC has been trying to tap into for several years.
Should he keep winning, the UFC is likely to put its marketing efforts strongly behind Rodriguez to help develop a young, exciting star Mexican fans can embrace.
Coming off a win over Dan Hooker in October, Rodriguez is the first of CoveringTheCage.com’s potential breakout stars for 2016.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamilllvrj
