Where’s the beef? UFC 314’s Yair Rodriguez tables Diego Lopes grudge to chase Alex Volkanovski rematch

Jesse Holland is among the longest-tenured media professionals in the combat sports news space, covering MMA, professional wrestling and boxing on a full-time basis since early 2004.

Yair Rodriguez and Diego Lopes have beef.

But fans hoping for a featherweight grudge match will be disappointed to learn that Rodriguez is no longer interested in slugging it out with the Brazilian bruiser. That’s because “El Pantera” is chasing a championship rematch against two-time division titleholder, Alex Volkanovski.

Rodriguez and Volkanovski were both victorious at UFC 314 last weekend in Miami.

“If you ask me, if you’re in my position right now, the beef can stay aside for now,” Rodriguez said at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference. “The only thing that I’m looking for right now is fighting for that belt. Volkanovski has fights all over around the world [but] he hasn’t fought in Mexico. I think it makes sense for the UFC to bring a huge event, numbered event in Guadalajara. I think Volkanovski wll be able to run it back with me. I think he will be happy to do that.”

Volkanovski defeated Rodriguez by technical knockout at UFC 290 in summer 2023.

Working against Rodriguez (20-5, 1 NC), aside from his Volkanovski loss, is the fact that featherweight contender Movsar Evloev is currently ranked above “El Pantera” and remains undefeated at 19-0. Even though Lopes came up short against Volkanovski at UFC 314, the fight was competitive enough to warrant a Rodriguez fight.

Matchmakers certainly have their work cut out for them.