Less than a decade later, the Mexican mixed martial arts landscape looks nothing like it did in 2014. Of course, long before 2014, there were fighters of Mexican descent who had achieved significant success at the UFC. But Rodriguez, alongside stars such as Irene Aldana, Brandon Moreno and Alexa Grasso, has completely changed the game for the trajectory of MMA on Mexican soil.
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Moreno became the undisputed UFC flyweight champion in 2021 and again in 2023, Rodriguez won the UFC interim featherweight title in 2023 and Grasso won the flyweight title in 2023. Bring the Bringing combat sports glory to a country with such a rich fighting spirit only motivated Rodriguez even more.
“Now that I have a little idea of what it feels like to have the belt, it’s an awesome feeling. You can feel the weight of being champion because it means a lot and it attracts more people to your country. Mexico was on the map, but partially,” Rodriguez said. “Right after Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno and I became UFC champions, more and more people started looking to Mexico. That’s why I think it’s not only very important for me, my family, my friends and my teammates, but also for all the people of Mexico.