‘Sad’ Yair Rodriguez reacts to Alex Volkanovski injury ahead of UFC 290 — ‘I want him to be 100 percent’

Yair Rodriguez needs full credit score for defeating Alexander Volkanovski within the UFC 290 pay-per-view (PPV) main event this Sat. night time (July 8, 2023) at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas, Nevada, and hopes fickle battle followers received’t diminish his accomplishment by blaming the recent lower on his opponent’s face.

A lower that might get very simply be opened up, resulting in a possible physician’s stoppage.

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TWO THRILLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS! Worldwide Battle Week returns to Las Vegas, Nevada, to coincide with UFC 290, which takes place inside T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., July 8, 2023. UFC 290 will characteristic a blockbuster world championship pay-per-view (PPV) doubleheader, capped off by a title unification bout that may see Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, battle interim titleholder, Yair Rodriguez. In UFC 290’s PPV co-main occasion, two-time Flyweight champion, Brandon Moreno, defends his belt in opposition to long-time rival, Alexandre Pantoja. There’s Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis and extra, too!

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

“Ah, f—ok man, that makes me unhappy,” Rodriguez instructed FOX Sports. “It makes me unhappy as a result of after I get this win I don’t need folks saying he was lower or no matter. I need him to be 100%. However I don’t assume will probably be a lot of an issue for him. It might play to my benefit, in fact, however there are lots of issues we undergo main right into a battle and he’s going to be prepared. So I’m not going to be searching for that particular spot to hit on his face.”

Volkanovski shall be defending his featherweight strap in opposition to Rodriguez, the present interim 145-pound titleholder, however doesn’t anticipate the “little scratch” — incurred throughout a late grappling session forward of UFC 290 — to play a big consider his efficiency, principally due to its location beneath the attention.

“There’s no stress, that is my look now,” Volkanovski stated after exhibiting up for UFC 290 battle week with a bandage throughout his face. “There’s clearly somewhat scratch however not stitches. You realize what, having extra consideration to the lower might be a very good factor, as a result of if he needs to give attention to that, on the finish of the day it should find yourself worse for him. So he can goal it nevertheless it’s underneath the attention anyway. So there shall be no drama in any respect. It’s all good.”

We’ll discover out this weekend in “Sin Metropolis.”

Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the whole UFC 290 battle card RIGHT HERE, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard bouts on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, earlier than the PPV predominant card begin time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To take a look at the newest and biggest UFC 290: “Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez” information and notes be sure you hit up our complete occasion archive proper here. For the up to date and finalized UFC 290 battle card and PPV lineup click on here.