BREAKING | Yair Rodriguez released from the UFC, Dana White says “he can take his act elsewhere”

Surprising news has just come out from the LA Times’ Lance Pugmire that top UFC featherweight prospect, Yair Rodriguez has been cut from the UFC after refusing to fight Zabit Magomedsharipov at the proposed August 4th date for UFC 227 in Los Angeles, California.

The @latimes has learned that Yair Rodriguez has been cut from by the UFC for refusing to take the Aug. 4 Staples Center PPV fight against Zabit Magomedsharipov.

— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) May 11, 2018

Told by @danawhite that if a fighter like Rodriguez turns down both Ricardo Lamas and Magomedsharipov, in what should have been a compelling battle, after taking a year off, he can take his act elsewhere.

— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) May 11, 2018

The letter to Rodriguez informing him he's been cut has been sent out, @latimes has been told.

— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) May 11, 2018

The @latimes has learned that Yair Rodriguez has been cut from by the UFC for refusing to take the Aug. 4 Staples Center PPV fight against Zabit Magomedsharipov.

Told by @danawhite that if a fighter like Rodriguez turns down both Ricardo Lamas and Magomedsharipov, in what should have been a compelling battle, after taking a year off, he can take his act elsewhere

The letter to Rodriguez informing him he’s been cut has been sent out, @latimes has been told.

Just this Tuesday, it was reported that Dana White had said that the Rodriguez vs Magomedsharipov fight was a “done deal”. This, however, appears to have not been the case…

After White’s claim came out, several people close to the fight came out and said it wasn’t happening. Such as Ali Abdelaziz and Rodriguez himself.

At only age 25 and with one loss in the UFC(6-1 with the organization, 10-2 overall), this cut comes as a major surprise. Rodriguez has been one of the most entertaining and exciting prospects since his arrival in the UFC in 2014 when he won The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America.

Rodriguez last fought in May of last year when he suffered his second career loss and first in the UFC to former UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar. Now a free agent, it shouldn’t be long before the exciting Mexican striker is picked up by someone else.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/10/2018.