Yair Rodriguez wants title unification bout vs. Alexander Volkanovski in Mexico

PERTH, Australia – Yair Rodriguez wants his next fight to be on home soil.

The Mexican star is hoping that his expected title unification bout against Alexander Volkanovski goes down in the Aztec country. Rodriguez (15-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) won the UFC interim featherweight title on Saturday night, submitting veteran Josh Emmett (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 284 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

It was an interim title fight because Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC), champion of featherweight, moved up a weight class to challenge for a second title on the same night. Unfortunately for the Australian, he came up short in a unanimous decision against Islam Makhachev in the main event.

Having fought in Australia, Rodriguez thinks it’s time he gets to be the hometown fighter.

“Yeah, that would be perfect,” Rodriguez told reporters at the UFC 284 post-fight press conference. “I actually talked to Alexander Volkanovski in the past in Dallas – actually not that much with him, more his manager – and he asked me if I’d go to Australia. I was like, ‘Yeah, why not. Of course, I’ll go.’ I stick to my word. I came here and won the interim title, and now I want to ask the UFC to take this belt, this championship fight to Mexico City in September whenever they open the UFC performance institute, so we can do it there.”

Despite his loss, Rodriguez thinks Volkanovski made a good account for himself against Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC). He expects a tough fight ahead.

“He’s fighting for the 155-pound belt against Islam Makhachev,” Rodriguez said. “He’s not fighting a nobody. Islam is tough, tough. We’ve seen the Russian guys fight in this company super tough.

“He was able to go in there, not only five round, but demonstrate he’s capable of also winning. The fight was pretty close. It was three rounds to two. I think he did a pretty good job.”