UFC's 'Lazy Boy' Rodriguez done fighting at flyweight due to health issues
"Lazy Boy" Rodriguez is done making weight cuts down to 125 pounds as he looks to begin a new career chapter fighting a division above at bantamweight. In an exclusive interview with Hablemos MMA, Rodriguez (17-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) opened up about his struggles and health scares making 125 pounds, along with his decision to make a major career change.
"The weight cuts have always been very tough, very tough on me," Rodriguez said in Spanish. "The four times I've made this weight, my skills just aren't the same. The first time was in Contender Series, and I didn't feel good. My body felt slow, heavy, and dehydrated. Your brain is also unable to recover well.
"I think the numbers speaks for themselves. If you watch my fights at 135 pounds, you see a completely different 'Lazy.' You see a 'Lazy' with a good chin, durable, explosive, putting on a show. Now if you see me at 125, you just see a 'Lazy Boy' trying to survive, waiting for his opponent to get tired. I'm telling you, I've always had an unbreakable heart and a strong mind, but unfortunately I haven't been able to fight at 100 percent."
Out of his 20 professional career fights, Rodriguez has fought 16 of them at bantamweight. His flyweight venture only came with the UFC. His first flyweight bout was in 2020 at Dana White's Contender Series. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, he lost his DWCS bout to Jerome Rivera. He then went back up to bantamweight to string together five consecutive wins in the regional scene in Mexico. That run got him a ticket to the UFC, where he dropped back down to flyweight. Rodriguez won his first two bouts and then lost a unanimous decision to Kevin Borjas this past March in Mexico City.
For his past two bouts, Rodriguez has been forced to visit the hospital. At UFC 306 was after the weight cut, and at UFC Mexico City was after the fight. Rodriguez revealed that his epic comeback win over Ode Osbourne last September almost didn't happen as he went to the hospital after the weight cut, and there was talk of pulling him out of the bout.
Being a father and with plenty of career left, and only 26 years old, Rodriguez is not keen on ever fighting again at flyweight.
"I don't plan on fighting again at 125 pounds," Rodriguez said. "I have a family to look out for, and my health is important, and nobody is going to take care of my health for me. So that's done."
Rodriguez already communicated his desire to compete at bantamweight to his team, and they've already reached out to the UFC. They have yet to hear back from the promotion.
Rodriguez entered the UFC with a ton of hype, already a star in Mexico. He knows that bantamweight is a tough division to thrive in, but he's got the confidence a healthy version of himself will do just fine.
"Many people tell me, 'You're not going to have a chance at 135 pounds. They're bigger, there's more competition.' But I don't give a f*ck," Rodriguez said. "I've never cared. I don't have an issue fighting the best. When I was in Mexico, I wrecked havoc in that weight class, and I'm now going to do it in the UFC. I'm looking after myself, my health and my family."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC's 'Lazy Boy' makes major career change
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