The UFC Phoenix main event saw featherweight prospect Yair Rodriguez get a huge step up in competition against our own BJ Penn – a former two division champion and UFC Hall of Famer.
Round One: Prospect and legend touch gloves, and round one is on. Rodriguez throws a kick, but Penn blocks. Penn moves forward, and absorbs a leg kick from Rodriguez. Rodriguez spins, but he misses and Penn blasts in and ties him up. Penn works with the under hook against the cage. Rodriguez escapes, and begins pushing forward. Both men look loose. Penn begins pushing forward. Rodriguez spins. He’s doing his thing, throwing wild, flying attacks. Penn is staying calm. Penn throws the overhand, as does Rodriguez. Penn closes the distance, but Rodriguez circles away. They both throw. Rodriguez throws a right, and Penn ties him up. Rodriguez lands a punch on the break and stuns Penn with a high kick. Rodriguez lands a spin on the veteran. The wild kicks continue. Rodriguez rockets through the air with a knee. Rodriguez spins and lands to the body with kick. He’s pushing forward. Penn moves forward. Now it’s Rodriguez moving in. Two kicks to the body land. He drops Penn with an inside leg kick. Rodriguez throws another head kick and misses, but a push kick lands. A jumping spin kick lands, then a front kick. Penn is hurt, but lands a nice right. Rodriguez charges in again. Three kicks to the head land for Rodriguez. The prospect continues to push forward. Another head kick lands on Penn’s arm. Rodriguez lands a spinning back fist and raises his hands in the air. Penn lands an overhand, and Rodriguez closes out the round with a snapping leg kick.
Round Two: Round two begins and Rodriguez drops Penn with a snapping front kick and a punch. The Mexican prospect swarms the Hall of Famer with a wild onslaught of ground strikes. Penn is hanging in there, attempting to tie up, but referee John McCarthy decides he has seen enough, and stops the fight.
UFC Phoenix Results: Yair Rodriguez defeats BJ Penn by second-round TKO.