"It probably wouldn't be in my best interest to fight him" - Daniel Rodriguez explains why he wants to avoid re-booking Kevin Holland clash
After their original bout was forced to be scrapped in order for the UFC 279 reshuffle to take place, any potential Daniel Rodriguez vs. Kevin Holland fight may now be in jeopardy following the 35-year-old's comments.
In a tightly contested brawl, 'D-Rod' was given the nod by the judges and earned a split decision victory over the dangerous Li Jingliang. This improved his run to four straight inside the octagon and 7-1 in the promotion overall as he continues his push towards a top 15 spot in the welterweight rankings.
Following his bout at UFC 279, Daniel Rodriguez was questioned about whether re-booking his previously scheduled fight against Kevin Holland would interest him or not, but the Californian had other ideas for his career going forward.
"This fight [was] actually against a higher ranked opponent, so I'm sure my name's going to be in the rankings. And you know, he just took a loss, so it probably wouldn't be in my best interest to fight him, I mean there's really no reason why I should at this point, other than maybe it being a main event kind of situation. I'm ready to start climbing the rankings and climbing the ladder in the game and yeah, this fight should definitely throw me back in the rankings."
'Trailblazer' arguably drew the short straw after the fight shakeup at UFC 279 and had to stand across the octagon from the monstrous Khamzat Chimaev. Just seconds into the first round, the 29-year-old was taken down. While he did well in the initial scramble, he was eventually caught in a D'Arce choke, forcing him to tap.
Check out what Daniel Rodriguez had to say about his next fight in the video below:
Should Kevin Holland fight Daniel Rodriguez next?
Despite being on an impressive win streak, Daniel Rodriguez could cement himself in the top 15 with a win over the surging prospect Kevin Holland in his next outing.
Though 'Big Mouth' is coming off a loss, a meeting between the two could potentially be the perfect matchup to see where they both stand within a stacked welterweight division.
Rodriguez has expressed an interest in leaving the fight in the past and searching for a higher-ranked opponent. However, having only competed once in over a year, he would likely need to put together a few wins before he is able to force his way into the top 10 at 170lbs.