UFC Mexico: 5 fighters for Yair Rodriguez after main event was called off in Mexico City

UFC on ESPN+ 17 was one of the biggest events for Yair Rodriguez in quite some time. After having been out of action for 10 months, Rodriguez finally made his return to the Octagon for the first time since UFC Denver.

At the Denver pay-per-view, Yair Rodriguez had one of the most impressive fights in his entire career. During the course of the bout, there was not a single point where he had slowed down, instead, fighting and battering 'The Korean Zombie' for the entire fight.

Both fighters put on a good show, but it was in the last second of the last round that things truly changed for Rodriguez. As Chan Sung Jung desperately lunged forward looking to take advantage of an opening that Rodriguez had apparently left in his defense, Rodriguez ducked down, let Jung get over him, and threw his elbow upwards, hitting him on the jaw and knocking him out at the literal last second.

At UFC Mexico, unfortunately, it was not to be. Seconds into the first round, he accidentally poked Jeremy Stephens in the eye. Stephens was unable to continue, and as a result, after 5 minutes were up, the fight was called a No Contest.

With Rodriguez being ready, he could face another fighter any time.

Now, with that fight not having taken place, here are 5 fighters that Yair Rodriguez could face next.

#5 Zabit Magomedsharipov

A fight that a lot of people have been waiting for is the fight between Yair Rodriguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov. The Russian fighter is yet to lose a single fight since joining UFC.

The reason Zabit is not higher up the list is simple. He is already scheduled to face Calvin Kattar soon, so he would not be available to face Yair Rodriguez next.

However, even if he does not face Zabit next, Rodriguez and Zabit might end up facing each in the immediate future.