UFC Fight Night: Mexico City gets its main event

The temperature in Mexico City went through the roof earlier with the announcement of Yair Rodríguez vs Jeremy Stephens as the main event for UFC Fight Night: Mexico City.

Set to take place on Saturday 21^st September at the Mexico City Arena, the featherweight showdown will see two ranked fighters with over sixteen years’ UFC experience between them, enter the Octagon for what has all the makings of Fight of the Night. With a combined total of eight FOTN bonuses, Yair Rodríguez (11-2) is currently ranked number seven, while Jeremy Stephens (28-16) is ranked number eight going into this eagerly anticipated match-up.

With just two defeats to his name, Yair Rodríguez has only suffered one defeat inside the Octagon when he was systematically dismantled by Franke Edgar in two rounds at UFC 211 in May 2017. Reacting in the best way possible, El Pantera bounced back with a Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonus after a sensational last second fifth-round KO of the Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung in November last year. At 7-1 in the UFC, Rodríguez will be looking to add Jeremy Stephens to his list of notable scalps.

Just over twelve years ago, a twenty-one-year-old Jeremy Stephens stepped into the Octagon for what was the first of an incredible thirty-one fights with the UFC to date. On that night in question, Stephens was on the wrong end of an armbar as Din Thomas inflicted what was only Stephens’ second defeat as a professional. Fast forward twelve years and Stephens has added fights against the likes of Max Holloway, Frankie Edgar, José Aldo, Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis to his extensive UFC CV which currently stands at 16-15 going into the Rodríguez fight.