Yair Rodriguez hopes to soak up some of the energy left by Muhammad Ali and other athletes who have trained at the iconic 5th Street Gym in Miami.
Rodriguez returns to the Octagon on Saturday night for a high-stakes scrap with promotional newcomer Patricio Pitbull. It’s a bout that could put the winner in pole position for a shot at the featherweight world title later this year.
Looking to gain every possible advantage over the former two-division Bellator champion, Rodriguez spent some time honing his skills at Ali’s old stomping grounds in ‘The 305.
“Right now, we are at the Muhammad Ali gym where he used to train,” Rodriguez said on episode two of UFC 314 Embedded. “We’re happy and excited to be here, grabbing the energy from this gym. As Coach Islam was telling me, even if it’s like 1% or 10%, we just grab the energy of this gym because great people have passed through these doors, and finally, I’m one of them.
“So, I’m really happy and excited to be here. I try not to get too much into my head, but I feel amazing. You know, my body looks incredible—I’m completely in shape. Good vibes all around and good spirits—we’re ready for Saturday.”
Yair Rodriguez needs a win to stay relevant in the featherweight division
Rodriguez will look to snap a two-fight losing skid for the first time in his career after coming up short against Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega in back-to-back bouts.
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old Pitbull hopes to show the world that he still has plenty of gas in the tank after spending the last 14 years of his career dominating the competition under the Bellator banner. Pitbull earned a third-round TKO over Jeremy Kennedy in March, bouncing back from two straight losses against Sergio Pettis and Chihiro Suzuki.
Overall, Pitbull is 36-7 in his mixed martial arts career with 24 of his victories coming inside the distance.
