Originally, Mexico’s Yair Rodriguez was expected to return to the cage opposite Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC 228 last Saturday. Unfortunately, Rodriguez was forced out of this contest with an injury, and replaced by Brandon Davis, who Magomedsharipov submitted with an incredible kneebar.
Shortly after he submitted Davis, Zabit Magomedsharipov called for a fight with three-time UFC featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes, who recently returned from a long hiatus with a first-round stoppage of Myles Jury. Apparently, however, the Russian star is still very much in the crosshairs of Yair Rodriguez.
On Wednesday afternoon, Rodriguez took to Twitter to assure that he should soon be able to return to training, and that he’s hoping Magomedsharipov will be willing to meet him in the cage before he fights Mendes.
See it below.
Miss the feeling of being able to train, should be cleared soon. congratulations @zabit_mma on an amazing performance. Hopefully your business with @chadmendes can wait so we can settle ours. pic.twitter.com/aT8nQEyFfo
— Yair Rodriguez (@panteraufc) September 12, 2018
“Miss the feeling of being able to train, should be cleared soon,” Yair Rodriguez said on Twitter. “Congratulations [Zabit Magomedsharipov] on an amazing performance. Hopefully your business with [Chad Mendes] can wait so we can settle ours.”
While Magomedsharipov seems quite excited about potentially fighting Chad Mendes, it’s worth reminded that, when Yair Rodriguez withdrew from their UFC 228 fight, the Russian claimed that he would not be letting Rodriguez off the hook and that he still hoped to fight him.
@panteraufc if you injured or not im fighting regardless so get your mind prepared for a battle. Im going to fight someone in September and I will fight you in November or December. No more running @seanshelby @danawhite
— Zabit Magomedsharipov (@zabeast_mma) August 23, 2018
“[Yair Rodriguez] if you injured or not I’m fighting regardless so get your mind prepared for a battle,” he said on Twitter. “Im going to fight someone in September and I will fight you in November or December. No more running.”
Does a fight between Yair Rodriguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov still interest you?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/12/2018.