The most effective fights Dana White has ever seen took place 4 years ago today.
Max Holloway’s UFC résumé will not be short on memorable moments and all-time classics, but not much can top his primary event on the Apex on this present day, November 13, in 2021.
UFC Vegas 42 tied the promotional record for many knockouts at a single event with eight. The likes of Song Yadong, Khaos Williams, and Joel Alvarez all stopped their fights inside the space.
The featherweight primary event didn’t need a finish to steal the show, nonetheless, as Holloway went to war with a returning star who was making his first appearance in over two years.
- LATEST NEWS: UFC 322 star could surpass Charles Oliveira and take second within the race for an enormous record
Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez placed on an incredible five-round UFC Vegas 42 primary event
UFC Vegas 42 concluded with a barnburner between Holloway and Yair Rodriguez, because the pair vied for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski’s featherweight title the next 12 months.
For ‘El Pantera’, the primary event marked his first outing contained in the Octagon in 25 months. Rodriguez had not competed since a Fight of the Night victory over Jeremy Stephens of their immediate rematch in October 2019.
Rodriguez ensured he would walk away with one other additional $50,000 check after playing his part in an incredible back-and-forth contest with Holloway.
While it was the legendary ex-champion who had his hand raised courtesy of the scorecards, the Mexican star’s stock actually didn’t drop in defeat.
In reality, UFC president Dana White credited Rodriguez for doing something “unheard of” during his post-fight press conference.
“Insane. The most effective fights I’ve ever seen,” White said.
“The incontrovertible fact that Yair was off for nearly two years and is available in and puts on a performance like that is unheard of.
“It’s certainly one of those things – it was razor thin, [Holloway] just is available in and puts on a performance like this,” he added.
- THROWBACK: Jake Paul was told to quit boxing only one 12 months into his profession after displaying concerning symptoms
Yair Rodriguez defied Islam Makhachev’s prediction by going the space with Max Holloway
It wasn’t just White who was impressed and shocked by Rodriguez’s performance within the UFC Vegas 42 primary event. The Mexican’s performance also went above and beyond what Islam Makhachev was expecting.
The then-future lightweight king, who will return this Saturday to headline UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden, predicted a finish for Holloway.
In a social media post, Makhachev suggested that the Hawaiian fan favorite would get things refrained from requiring a fifth and final round.
“Max inside 4 rounds,” Makhachev wrote on X.
Rodriguez went on to win his next two fights, including an interim featherweight title win over Josh Emmett in February 2023.