With Volkanovski relocating to lightweight — at least for the moment — the UFC has chosen Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett to face off for the interim featherweight title in Saturday’s co-main event, hoping to maintain continuity atop the division regardless of what transpires in the main event.
Rodriguez has long been expected to rise to the championship tier, but has taken a circuitous route, struggling to put together the consistent appearances and results needed to make a dominant run to the top of the division. There is no denying that the Mexican featherweight is a tremendous talent — explosive, athletic, and inventive, Rodriguez has the skills to be a superstar and titleholder; it’s just a matter of whether he can bring that all together at the right time, when the stakes are highest.
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Inconsistency has never been an issue for Emmett, who arrives in Australia own a five-fight winning streak, brandishing an 18-2 record overall. Injuries have forced him to the sidelines for stretches, but every time, he’s come back and collected another win, further cementing his standing as one of the top contenders in the 145-pound weight class.
This is a classic clash of approaches, with Rodriguez offering a lot of kicks, a lot of movement, and heaps of creativity, while Emmett has a wrestling background and prefers to sling hammers, looking to put your lights out with one shot. It’s going to be tense from the opening seconds and remain that way for as long as it lasts.
