Dana White issues cryptic response when questioned about the status of UFC featherweight Yair Rodriguez

UFC president Dana White issued a cryptic response when questioned about the current status of featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was supposed to fight fellow contender Zabit Magomedsharipov over the summer in what would have been a No. 1 contender bout, but Rodriguez pulled out of the fight with a supposed ankle injury. Neither Rodriguez nor Magomedsharipov has been booked to fight again since the injury, one that wasn’t supposed to keep Rodriguez out this long. It makes you wonder if there is something else going on that we don’t know about, and White alluded to just that on Saturday night.

Speaking to the media following UFC Vegas 15, White gave a very cryptic response when asked about the status of Rodriguez. Check out the exchange below.

Strange ending to the press conference. #UFC pic.twitter.com/dE9TyktUU0

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) November 29, 2020

Dana White: Yair?
Reporter: Yeah. He’s posting on social media that he’s training fully now and that he’s totally recovered from the injury.
White (to UFC executive offstage): Have we not talked publicly about that? Why not? Yeah. Huh? (To reporters) I don’t think he’s going to fight soon.
Reporter: Is he hurt?
White: No.
Reporter: Does it have to be so mysterious?
White: We didn’t announce it. I don’t know why we didn’t, but yeah. I don’t know what the deal is. It’s actually none of my business what’s going on there. So when it comes out, it will come out.
Reporter: Is this now Hunter Campbell’s business?
White: No. It’s none of our business. None of the UFC’s business. When they figure it out, they’ll let us know.
Reporter: Did he decline the offer to fight?
White: Did he? No, that would be my business. Any other questions? Good night. Thank you.

It’s a very strange response from White, to be sure. From everything we have heard, it sounded like Rodriguez had an injury that should have taken him a few months to recover. That was back in August that he was supposed to fight Magomedsharipov, and now it’s November and we still don’t have a firm answer. Following the comments from White, we now actually have more questions than answers. Hopefully, we can get a follow-up from Rodriguez soon so we can know exactly what’s going on there.

What do you think Dana White was alluding to about Yair Rodriguez?