UFC 284 has two title fights on the card. The featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski challenges the lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in the main event. However, the featherweight division is not halting because of it. In the co-main event of the upcoming PPV, Josh Emmett takes on Yair Rodriguez for the interim featherweight title. The winner will later face Volkanovski to unify the titles.
Josh Emmett started his UFC run in 2016. His first bout was against Jon Tuck, which ended in a split-decision win for Emmett. His only two losses inside the Octagon came against Jeremy Stephens and Desmond Green. But he has also beaten amazing fighters like Calvin Kattar, Dan Ige, and Shane Burgos. He is currently on a 5-fight win streak.
His opponent, Yair Rodriguez, does not have an extended win streak coming into the fight. Although he has a win against Brian Ortega in his last bout, there is an asterisk on it. The bout ended prematurely after Ortega dislocated his shoulder. Prior to that, he lost to Max Holloway via unanimous decision, in what was a hard-fought contest. Yair’s last credible win was against Jeremy Stephens in October 2019.
However, that does not diminish his chances of winning the interim title this Saturday. But which fighter has a better shot at holding the interim title next? Let’s find out!
UFC 284: Yair Rodriguez vs Josh Emmett, Stats
Stats | Yair Rodriguez | Josh Emmett |
---|---|---|
Wins | 15 | 18 |
Losses | 3 | 2 |
Height | 1.8 m | 1.68 m |
Division | Featherweight | Featherweight |
Reach | 180.3 cm | 177.8 cm |
Age | 30 | 37 |
Rodriguez vs Emmett: Fight Breakdown
The fight is a guaranteed barnburner. While none are prolific finishers, both fighters are great strikers with good grappling. While “El Pantera” has finished 5 opponents with strikes, Emmett has 6 knockout wins in his career as well. Yair’s bout against Max Holloway proved how vast and creative his striking range is. On the other hand, Emmett’s fight against Shane Burgos is one of the most entertaining contests in recent memory.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qKH2a0KVhiI&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
Both Emmett and Rodriguez have almost identical striking outputs. Josh averages 4.28 strikes per minute, while Yair lands 4.67 strikes per minute. However, both absorb a lot of strikes as well. On average, Yair absorbs 4.12 strikes and Josh absorbs 4.29 strikes per minute respectively as well. If the same pattern continues, there’s a big chance that one of them will end up unconscious on the mat.
Perhaps the best way to avoid striking damages is to take the fight to the ground. In terms of grappling, Josh Emmett lands 1.04 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy rate of 40%. Yair Rodriguez secures 0.83 takedowns per fight. He only has an accuracy rate of 28%. So Emmett seems to be the most likely candidate to get a takedown in the fight. So Josh likely has the better tools to win this Saturday.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gscdghQd6IA&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
However, as evidenced by his bout against The Korean Zombie, one can never rule out Yair Rodriguez. He finds a way to get results that go in his favor. With his crisp and somewhat unorthodox striking techniques, he can be a big threat to Josh Emmett. However, the latter’s wrestling background definitely gives him the better chance to win this weekend.