Christian Rodriguez is no stranger to derailing hype trains, especially in Las Vegas.
Rodriguez (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) will face Austin Bashi (13-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in the octagon on the main card of UFC Fight Night 249, which will stream on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Previously, Rodriguez was the first fighter to defeat the highly touted Raul Rosas Jr. This weekend, he aims to repeat his success against Austin Bashi, who is one of the latest additions to the featherweight roster.
“Experience is something definitely you can’t buy, you have to literally experience it,” Rodriguez shared with MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s press conference for UFC Fight Night 249. He added, “In my last fight, I even witnessed that myself. It’s the experience. Experience matters a lot in this game. Looking back at my last fight, (Julian) Erosa, he’s a veteran in the game.”
Rodriguez emphasized the importance of avoiding mistakes, noting, “You can’t make a single mistake in that game. You can be winning the fight, but if you make one single mistake, let’s say you take a little mental rest, there’s a punishment for it, and that’s what I learned. I learned how to be dialed in for 15 minutes straight no matter what. I think when you’re so new in this game, you’re always willing to take a risk, and sometimes you can’t take a risk.”
After grappling with weight issues in consecutive wins against bantamweight prospects Cameron Saaiman and Rosas Jr., Rodriguez decided to move up to 145 pounds, announcing that he intends to stay in this weight class.
“Featherweight’s my permanent home,” Rodriguez stated. “I like how I feel at featherweight, and it’s my home for now. The times I’ve made bantamweight, after rehydrating up, I’d be up to like (1)65, ’66 (pounds), and that’s on fight day. So yeah, a good 30 pounds, and I’m already kind of lean, too. I’m only getting older, so I’m going to fill out naturally. I’m going to get stronger.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.
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