UFC fan favorite Adrian Yañez has made his first public comments following his loss to Daniel Marcos at UFC Tampa. This setback occurred as Yañez aimed to re-enter the bantamweight Top 15. After three rounds of intense competition, Yañez succumbed to a split decision, marking his third loss in his last four fights.
The situation was further complicated for Yañez when he encountered a significant eye poke early in the match. After the accidental poke from Marcos, Yañez struggled with his timing and was unable to effectively counter Marcos’ onslaught as the fight progressed.
While the match’s scoring is open to interpretation, the damage Yañez sustained late in the fight proved insurmountable. However, Yañez is adamant that he does not attribute the loss to the eye poke, taking full responsibility for the outcome.
In a recent post on X, Yañez discussed the contentious nature of his loss at UFC Tampa. He expressed gratitude to his supporters, acknowledging the presence of detractors: “Big shoutout to everyone who supported me, trolls are gonna troll, it is what it is,” Yañez stated. He reflected on the fight, admitting, “I could blame the eye poke, vision was blurred, eye was burning, but I continued to fight, that s***’s on me…no one else to blame but me.”
Yañez reiterated the match’s close nature, stating, “Fight was close, just let it slip away, you guys. I try to put on bangers every single time, I apologize guys. But shoutout to everyone who still supports me, love you guys.” Prior to UFC Tampa, Yañez had rebounded with a first-round TKO against Vinicius Salvador in May, overcoming the initial hurdles of his UFC career after earlier losses to Jonathan Martinez and Rob Font.
The former DWCS standout has had a meteoric rise within the bantamweight division, achieving notable victories over fighters like Tony Kelley, Davey Grant, and Randy Costa. His impressive performances led to post-fight bonuses for each of his first five wins in the UFC.
Looking ahead, Yañez aims to avoid another losing streak following his recent fight. At 31 years old, he remains a formidable presence in the bantamweight category, known for his exceptional boxing skills, which pose a significant challenge for many of his contemporaries in the 135-pound division.
Before earning his contract through DWCS, Yañez established himself in promotions like LFA and Fury FC. Currently, he holds a professional record of 17-6. With his next UFC appearance on the horizon, Yañez is focused on recovery and hopeful for a successful year ahead in the Octagon.
