Don’t get it twisted, “D-Rod” loves fight fans. As a matter of fact, he credits the fans for being the ones who motivated him to come back from a hand injury that kept him on the sidelines for over a year.
“The fans are who I fight for,” Rodriguez said. “The close fight and the reaction from fans just gave me an edge to hit training harder than ever and want to fight harder than ever. I don’t want close fights.”
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On Saturday, “D-Rod” steps back into the fray against longtime welterweight contender Neil Magny in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs Lemos.
“Before my injury, I was No. 15 in the rankings, but with inactivity my number fell back while other people did their thing and that’s just the fight game,” Rodriguez said. “Now I got my name back in the rankings and I’m fighting a ranked opponent in Neil. It’s a great position to be in and there are big things up next.”
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“D-Rod” views Magny as a true veteran who has had success against some of the biggest names in the welterweight division. He also sees Magny as the test that rising contenders often have to pass in order to reach the division’s true elite.
“Neil Magny is like that gatekeeper to the top dudes. Look at Max Griffin; he was trying to get up there and Magny shut him down,” Rodriguez said. “A win over him would put me in a good place for fighting higher-ranked dudes, main events, and more money.”
