It is not every day that a UFC Hall of Famer, at the peak of his career, would come across someone who will one day be a huge name.
That's what exactly happened between MMA legend Jon Jones and UFC Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez.
El Pantera shared that he met the Brazilian legend long before his name became a powerhouse in the world of mixed martial arts. He predicted he would go far in the field of MMA.
According to him, this meeting inspired him to get better and eventually become a world champion.
"I remember one time when I was training in Albuquerque, and then he (Jones) approached me," Rodriguez said in an appearance on ESPN.
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"He said, 'Hey, can you come here, please?' I was like, 'Yeah, for sure.' He's like, 'What's your name?' I told him my name, and he was like, 'Your skills are impressive. How old are you?' I was 21 years old at that moment. And he said, 'When I was 21 years old, I didn't have those skills. You're gonna get far in this sport. Just keep going.'"
Yair is 30 years old now, so the meeting took place around 2014. This was the time when Jones lost only once in 20 fights.
Underdog or favorite vs. Alexander Volkanovski in UFC 290?
Rodriguez will attempt to continue making an honest man of Jon Jones as he takes on Alexander Volkanovski in UFC 290.
Oddsmakers are putting the Mexican as the underdog in this fight, but ESPN commentator Jon Anik doesn't think the odds are correct.
Like Jon Jones, Anik thinks Rodriguez has skills that are hard to match.
"I know they're just trying to draw two-way action, but Yair Rodriguez is one of one and a very uniquely hard guy to prepare for," the former ESPN anchor said in his show MMA Live.
UFC 290 will take place this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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