Yair Rodriguez won’t see action again until 2026.
Former interim UFC featherweight champion Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) underwent surgery Tuesday on his left hand and is looking at a months-long recovery period, according to a report from ESPN.
It will take Rodriguez roughly two-to-four months before he’s cleared for a return to full contact training, ruling him out of any high profile fights until at least late in the first quarter of next year.
Rodriguez, No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Patricio Freire at UFC 314 in April. He said after that fight that he expected to rematch champion Alexander Volkanovski next, but it never materialized.
Now Rodriguez, 33, will be on the sidelines as the 145-pound division moves forward, and it remains to be seen where he fill fit in among the contenders when he returns.
