UFC’s Daniel Barez challenges Ronaldo Rodriguez to see who’s got the best “Mexican boxing.”
[autotag]Daniel Barez[/autotag] wants to test himself against one of the hottest names in the UFC’s flyweight division today.
The Spanish fighter is hoping to get booked against Mexico’s [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag], better known as “Lazy Boy,” for his next trip to the octagon. Barez (17-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) thinks it is a fight that lends itself to be a fan-friendly affair and thinks it is a next step that makes sense for both parties.
“He’s a fighter that had to go through a lot to get in the UFC as well,” Barez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “He went to Contender Series, lost, and then came back – which is very similar to my path.
“He’s a warrior, he’s Mexican, and I train in Mexico as well, and he has a warrior’s spirit. I think it would be a really good fight. He has really good boxing and good wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He has two UFC fights like me, so I don’t think I’m asking for anything crazy. I hope I get it.”
Barez is coming off a unanimous decision over Victor Altamirano at a UFC Fight Night in Paris last month. Meanwhile, “Lazy Boy” also comes off a decision win, as he outpointed Ode Osbourne at UFC 306 at Sphere.
Although he was already on his radar, Barez liked what he saw from Rodriguez (17-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC), which made him even more interested in calling him out.
“I thought it was a very tough fight, and yet he was able to pull off the comeback after getting knocked down by his opponent,” Barez said. “The truth is that that’s why I’d love to fight him. He’s a guy that fights till the very end, and I consider myself the same type of fighter. I fight till the end, and I don’t give up. That’s why I want to fight him.”
Barez was born and still lives in Spain, but he does a good chunk of his training camps at Entram Gym in Tijuana, Mexico. Throughout his years traveling to the Americas, Barez has picked up the world-famous Mexican boxing style – which he would like to put to the test against a native.
“He’s Mexican, and he trains his boxing with great pros,” Barez said. “I’m Spanish, but I’ve been training a long time in Mexico, so I’d love to box him. He boxes well, but so do I. I hit very hard and I can knock anyone out in the division, just like he can. So let’s see who has better Mexican boxing, let’s throw down.”
Mexico’s Ronaldo Rodriguez looks back at his wild comeback win over Ode Osbourne at last month’s UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
[autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] went through hell and back to leave UFC 306 with his hand raised.
The Mexican flyweight prospect was basically knocked out in the opening seconds of his fight with Ode Osbourne last month at Noche UFC at Sphere. Rodriguez (17-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was hit with a counter right hand and fell flat on his back and his arms away from his face. From there, “Lazy Boy” took some extra shots and was put in a tight triangle choke for a good minute, all while badly rocked.
“I remember the hospital, that, I remember well,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “Brother, I was fighting on automatic pilot. That Mexican heart, that Aztec blood that runs through my veins, that was what gave me the victory. It was God’s power and faith in God. The Holy Spirit went in my body and got me back up. It got me back up, and it didn’t allow me to give up because I can’t find any other explanation when I was knocked out on that octagon, when I was about to get submitted. I can’t find an explanation. That was God.”
Rodriguez not only survived the sequence, but went on to win the remaining two rounds to win a decision on the judges’ scorecards. It was easily one of the best comeback wins of 2024. The 25-year-old flyweight vaguely remembers the fight, and thanks his corner for keeping him locked in.
“I do remember, but it’s a bit of a blur, like flashes,” Rodriguez said. “What I do remember well is my coach bringing me back. I told my corner after the first round, ‘Hey, I’m knocked out.’ I told them as soon as I got back from that first round that I was out. That’s what I saw in the replay and that’s when my coach Mike Gonzalez told me, ‘Brother, you need to come out with everything. We now know he’s got nothing on you on the ground. He can’t stop you there. You’re better than him.’ Thanks to my coach’s advice, we got the win.”
Rodriguez, who joined the UFC with a ton of hype and a big following from Mexico, is now 2-0 in the promotion. As far as what’s next, Rodriguez is down to fight wherever, whenever and against whoever.
“I’d fight against the best right now, but you know that decision doesn’t fall on me,” Rodriguez said. “I’m ready. I’m a hardworking man. I’m someone who’s like, ‘Oh, you want me to fight this guy? Where do I sign?’ I’m not someone who ponders on that and thinks if this is a good matchup or not, or anything like that. No. Beyond being an athlete, I’m a fighter.”
Sean O’Malley and Alexa Grasso got the biggest checks from the Promotional Guidelines Compliance program fro UFC 306, which paid $239,500.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 306 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $239,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC 306 took place at Sphere. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
The full UFC 306 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Check out the best photos from Ronaldo Rodriguez’s win unanimous decision win over Ode Osbourne at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag]’s win unanimous decision win over [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag] at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. (Fight and venue photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports)
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) looks to hand the ball off during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Are things lined up for “Lazy Boy” Ronaldo Rodriguez to shine bright on the big stage of Noche UFC?
[autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag] and [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 0-5 UFC main cards, 2024: 76-66-3
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 preview
Osbourne (12-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) will enter UFC 306 in danger of reaching the dreaded three-fight skid after losses to Asu Almabayev and Jafel Filho. Both times, Osbourne submitted to rear-naked chokes. … Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, is on a six-fight overall winning streak, which includes his UFC debut this past February when he beat Denys Bondar by rear-naked choke. “Lazy Boy,” who’s just 25, has a big opportunity to make a name for himself on the biggest of stages.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 expert pick, prediction
I’m happy to see Rodriguez make it to the big stage, especially since I thought he got a raw deal on the scorecards opposite Jerome Rivera in his shot on the Contender Series back in 2020. That said, “Lazy Boy” will find himself opposite another experienced foe in Osbourne.
I think that Osbourne might be the more technical fighter in every area, but I also understand why he’s the underdog in this spot.
Even though Osbourne is an incredibly dynamic fighter who can execute eye-catching offense early on in fights, the Jamaican-American has a propensity to fade if the fight is not going his way.
Rodriguez may not be as accoladed as a grappler on paper, but the Mexican has shown excellent defense and scrambling ability – something he uses to end up on top of opponents.
Should Rodriguez get through Osbourne’s offering in the first frame, then I suspect he’ll be able to shut down a lot of his opponent’s hopes with his potent counter-offense.
I’ll pick Rodriguez to score a guillotine choke in Round 2.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 odds
Rodriguez will enter UFC 306 as a -162 favorite, with Osbourne a +136 underdog, according to DraftKings.
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode Osbourne UFC 306 start time, how to watch
Osbourne and Rodriguez are expected to walk out to the octagon at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. locally in Las Vegas). The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
Mexican prospect Ronaldo ‘Lazy Boy’ Rodriguez recounts his rough upbringing and difficult road to the UFC.
In many ways, [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] already won.
Rodriguez, better known as “Lazy Boy,” was not supposed to make it this far, as the odds were heavily stacked against him. Yet, here he is, hours away from opening up the UFC 306 pay-per-view main card this Saturday at Sphere in Las Vegas in what will be his second fight with the promotion.
Rodriguez has taken a good chunk of the spotlight this fight week. He stole the show at Thursday’s Noche UFC press conference with his heated back-and-forth with Ode Osbourne and is heading into the event as one of the most beloved, followed, and hyped Mexican fighters on the card.
Although it may seem like things are just getting started for the 25-year-old prospect, Rodriguez has already been through a ton to get to this stage.
The beginning
Rodriguez was born in Chiapas, one of the poorest states in Mexico with a staggering poverty rate of 74.7%, according to a 2012 study from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography. In Chiapas, Rodriguez lived in a tiny town – which, according to a 2010 census, had a population of less than 500.
“We’re from a municipality called Jiquipilas, and a town called Nueva Independencia, that’s where I grew up,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “There are no roads, there is no internet, there’s hardly any electricity. People move around in horses, but there are some cars. There is one road and a park that’s all pavement.
“It’s a very poor neighborhood. I think having grown up there and seeing all the hardships we had to go through and all the times we were hungry or didn’t have clothes or shoes to wear, it was those experiences that forged the man you see today. The man who’s working to better himself and build a legacy.”
A single mother raised Rodriguez. His grandparents were farmworkers who cultivated corn and pumpkin. It was clear early on that he had no future in Chiapas, which is why it was his home for only seven years.
“Chiapas has the highest index of poverty in Mexico,” Rodriguez said. “My mother gave me the opportunity to leave the town. She was both a mother and a father to me. She took the risk to step out her comfort zone and leave the town so she could give a better life to her son.”
Veracruz and his introduction to MMA
Looking for a better future, Rodriguez and his mom moved to a bigger city in Veracruz, about a four-hour drive from their home in Chiapas. He was about seven years old when they made the change, and there, Rodriguez’s mother began working as a housekeeper to support their living.
Soon after moving to Veracruz, Rodriguez realized he had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, perhaps more than the average kid.
“About eight years old, I realized that no one was going to figure out my life for me,” Rodriguez said. “I knew that a stepfather wasn’t going to come in and buy me everything I wanted. That I wasn’t going to win the lottery. That no one was going to do something for me. I knew I only had my mother, and my mother only had me. No one was going to figure out our lives. I knew the only one that could make a change was me.”
Rodriguez spent the majority of his childhood and teenage years in Veracruz. There, he realized that studying wasn’t his thing, but fighting was.
“Since I was a kid, I loved fighting,” Rodriguez said. “In high school, I got kicked out twice for fighting. I ended up in the most problematic high school in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. It was there where all the kids that other schools didn’t want would end up. But it was something that I needed to live through. I always liked fighting.
Rodriguez was a big Julio Cesar Chavez fan and wanted to pursue a career in boxing. Unfortunately for the world of the “Sweet Science,” there was only an MMA gym available to him, so he began training there at the age of 14.
“Four months into my training, I had my first amateur fight,” Rodriguez recalled. “The amateur kind of Mexico is pretty much professional, but they don’t have to pay you, so that’s why they call it amateur. I had about 22 of those fights and from there I had my professional debut.”
Another move and the early footsteps as a professional fighter
Like Chiapas, Veracruz soon began to feel like a small town for a hungry and talented Rodriguez looking to take his professional MMA career seriously. There wasn’t much else for him to do MMA-wise, so at 17, he decided to go to the nation’s capital, Mexico City, where there was a bigger, more robust MMA scene.
“I told my mom that I didn’t want to be a burden for her and school wasn’t really my thing, so I made the decision to leave home and go to Mexico City to chase my dream,” Rodriguez said. “In Veracruz there were no professional fights, there was no one registering them. I still have a few fights not registered in my Tapology. It didn’t mean anything to fight and make money with no record of my fights.”
Fortunately for “Lazy Boy,” his gym in Veracruz was affiliated with a gym in Mexico City called ADAM, run by Rene Diosdado and his brother. They were happy to take in Rodriguez and let him live in the gym. Little did Rodriguez know that the gym was going to be his home for the next four years.
“I was training all day,” Rodriguez said. “I mean three, four times a day in the gym because that’s all I had. Thank God there were many people there that saw my effort and many would come with a meal or anything to help and support me. That always kept me humble because I truly needed help from the people. If it wasn’t for them, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to achieve my dream. I think that’s what’s helped me connect with people, and that’s why I am who I am today.”
Rodriguez had plenty of aid from people, but that was not enough to support him and his MMA career. He also worked as a waiter at a small local restaurant, making and selling gelatinas – a popular dessert in Mexico. He was very good at that.
“I’d sell them in the gym to training partners, the kids,” Rodriguez said. “I’d also sell them to trucks and at parks, anywhere. I got that from my mom. She was always a hard worker, so I had a good example to help me there. She’s the person I admire the most. She’s a very hardworking woman and was able to provide for me as a single mother.”
Living and training in the gym, selling gelatinas, and working as a waiter weren’t the only things on Rodriguez’s schedule.
From 2017 to 2020, Rodriguez fought 11 times, going 10-1, with his only loss being a split decision defeat. He also won a local championship belt. Through this busy schedule, Rodriguez quickly became a local sensation, and it was only a matter of time for him to get called up to the big leagues.
Heartbreak at Dana White Contender Series
In 2020, after four years of being a very active regional fighter in Mexico while also working part-time jobs, Rodriguez got the call to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series – a show where the best regional fighters throw down against each other in hopes to convince UFC CEO Dana White of a contract with the Las-Vegas based promotion.
According to the Hollywood script, this was Rodriguez’s inevitable breakthrough, but it wasn’t. Rodriguez fought and lost a unanimous decision to Jerome Rivera, and with that result, he was sent packing back to the regional scene in Mexico.
“That camp was insane because it was during the pandemic, and I was the first Mexican to compete on Contender Series,” Rodriguez said. “I only trained with one coach and one training partner because no one wanted to train. Covid was at its peak. Preparation was extremely difficult, but I prepared as best I could, but I didn’t get the result I wanted.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaAP-kklf8u/?hl=en
There was no plan B for Rodriguez. Fighting was everything, which is why the loss at DWCS stung.
“I’m not going to lie, getting the opportunity of your dreams and unfortunately not working out, it tears you down bad,” Rodriguez said. “It was rough, but at the end of the day, this is what defines a warrior. How many times can you get up? I’ve come up time and time again from poverty and many other things. So, not getting back up from a defeat wasn’t acceptable.
“I was still winning, that’s how I see it. Considering where I come from, I’m winning.”
The purse made at DWCS was the biggest Rodriguez had made in his fighting career. This allowed him to move out of his gym and rent his own place, which brought a lot of peace of mind. From there, Rodriguez brushed off the dust and got back on the horse.
“I did think that maybe this was the highest moment for me, but those are internal demons that you have to battle, so today, I can stand and say I’m destined to be a world champion.”
UFC dream comes true
Rodriguez didn’t give up. He went back to Mexico after his loss at DWCS and continued to put in the work.
Rodriguez’s plan was simple: Rack up as many wins as possible in hope to get another chance at a UFC contract. On the regional scene, he picked up five consecutive victories, with four under the LUX banner, which streams on UFC Fight Pass.
This streak was enough to get him back on the UFC radar. However, this time he didn’t have to come to the UFC, the UFC came to him. The promotion booked a Fight Night event for February 24 in Mexico City. This was the UFC’s first event in Mexico since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When I got the contract, brother, that was a feeling of, ‘We made it,'” Rodriguez said. “We knew it was coming.”
At UFC Fight Night 237, Rodriguez faced Denys Bondar for his debut. He was the third fight on the preliminary card but was treated by the crowd as if he were the main event. He was the man of the people.
As he dreamt it, Rodriguez stepped in the octagon, put on an impressive showing, and submitted Bondar with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their contest. It was a dream come true.
“It was a unique feeling I can’t explain,” Rodriguez said. “It’s different from anything else. The truth is that I just feel blessed to be able to wake up every day and breathe, but that night was something very special.
“My mom was crying of happiness. She was crying because I made it. She knows how tough this career is.”
“Lazy Boy” returns to the octagon for his second UFC fight at Saturday’s pay-per-view event, which celebrates Mexican Independence. This is a special moment for every Mexican fighter on the card. However, given how much the Mexican crowd has embraced him, Rodriguez feels an extra duty to make his people proud.
“Us Mexicans we’re growing a ton in this sport and it was just a matter of time because la raza is made for this,” Rodriguez said. “Maybe we’re not good at many other things, but any sport that’s contact and violent, Mexico is a superpower. I’m extremely proud to represent Mexico and to know that they feel represented by me.”
Rodriguez wasn’t just molded by his tough upbringing. Sure, he’s convinced it’s primed him for fighting, but it’s also done more than that. Rodriguez feels the average Mexican can relate to his life story, which is why he’s very popular despite just getting into the UFC.
“I’m one of them,” Rodriguez said. “I’m the average Mexican that comes from nothing and works hard for his dreams despite the lack of resources and lack of support. Despite all that, I’m living my dream, and that’s why my people identify with me.”
The dream has narrowed down to one thing now that Rodriguez finds himself in the UFC, and that’s winning gold.
“Win the UFC title, that’s what’s next,” Rodriguez said. “Everything else is just steps towards that. That’s clear for me.”
There was a lot of profanity involved in the long verbal exchange between Ronaldo Rodriguez and Ode Osbourne at the UFC 306 presser.
You don’t have to speak Spanish to know there was a lot of profanity involved in the minutes-long verbal exchange between [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] and [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag] at the UFC 306 pre-fight press conference.
On a dais filled with all 20 fighters scheduled to compete on Saturday’s Noche UFC card at Sphere, the two flyweights Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Osbourne (12-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC), who open the ESPN+ pay-per-view main card following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+ were the pair who had the most heat between them when the microphones went live.
UFC translator extraordinaire Fabiano Buskei even somewhat struggled to keep up with Rodriguez’s words in particular, because “Lazy Boy” got up from his seat and passionately screamed across the stage at Osbourne in a lengthy scene.
Osbourne obviously didn’t understand everything that was being said, but could scene the intensity of his opponent, and repeatedly told Rodriguez to “bring that same energy” when they step into the octagon to open a monumental main card for the promotion.
Check out the video above to see the entire back-and-forth between Rodriguez and Osbourne from the UFC 306 pre-fight press conference.
https://youtube.com/live/owT56o4jhCs
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
Ronaldo Rodriguez will get a prime spot at UFC 306, and he plans on making the most of it.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] will get a prime spot at UFC 306, and he plans on making the most of it.
Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) meets Ode Osbourne (12-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 306 main card opener at Sphere (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+).
Rodriguez was asked his thoughts on the main event between bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Merab Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), but “Lazy Boy” is focused on creating his own headlines.
“It’s going to be a great fight. They’re going to stand and bang, but I think I’m going to steal the show,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 306 media day.
His opponent Osbourne had nothing but respect for him when recounting a story about a sparring session that took place at Xtreme Couture just three weeks before their fight was announced. He even called Rodriguez to ask his thoughts on them fighting.
Rodriguez took a different approach when addressing his relationship with Osbourne.
“I hope he doesn’t think that we’re friends because in the cage I’m going to try and rip his head off,” Rodriguez said. “It’s business.”
“Lazy Boy” Rodriguez sees his return at UFC 306 as an opportunity to show the MMA world he’s champion material.
LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ronaldo Rodriguez[/autotag] has no problem letting the world know his intentions.
The UFC flyweight prospect is already making it clear that he’s coming for the UFC belt, and in his mind, it’s just a matter of time. Rodriguez (17-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) returns for his second UFC fight on Sept. 14, as he takes on Ode Osbourne (12-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) on the pay-per-view main card of UFC 306, which goes down at Sphere in Las Vegas.
“Lazy Boy” sees this as a perfect opportunity to show everyone what he’s all about.
“I see myself ripping heads off and taking one step closer to my dreams,” Rodriguez told reporters on Thursday when asked about his return to the cage. “It’s getting closer to my objective, which is being the champion that Mexico needs.”
For his second UFC fight, Rodriguez is getting a high card placement, fighting on the pay-per-view main card of Noche UFC. He believes this is part of his destiny of becoming a UFC champion.
“Brother, I feel blesses,” Rodriguez said. “I can’t find any other explanation besides God’s will to have me here today. I think this September 14 I will sign the plans that God has for me and what I’ve been saying, ‘I’ll be the new Mexican champion in the UFC.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
UFC Fight Night 237 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
MEXICO CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 237 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $135,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC Fight Night 237 took place at Mexico City Arena. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 237 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2371 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC Fight Night 237: Moreno vs. Royval 2” – $135,500
