'Flawless performance': Fighters react to Yair Rodriguez's spoiling Patricio Freire's debut at UFC 314
Yair Rodriguez delivered on his promise to play spoiler for Patricio Freire’s octagon debut when he came out of the UFC 314 main card opener with his hand raised.
After losing his past two fights, Rodriguez (19-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) showed on Saturday that he shouldn’t be discarded as a title threat in the featherweight division. The former interim champ earned a unanimous decision victory over former two-division titleholder “Pitbull” Freire (36-8 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Rodriguez beating Freire at UFC 314.
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@PatricioPitbull & @panteraufc font leur arrivée au Kaseya Center! #UFC314 pic.twitter.com/8S2pZDprNT
— UFC Québec (@UFCQuebec) April 13, 2025
The was the toughest fight they could have given Pitbull coming into UFC
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) April 13, 2025
These guys have genuinely never watched Pitbull’s fights haha. He doesn’t fight anything like how they’re suggesting he should.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 13, 2025
10-9 Yair. His kicking game is insane! #UFC314
— Ian O'Neill (@ioneillmma) April 13, 2025
10-9 Rodriguez. Pitbull's output was super low in his first UFC round. #UFC314
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) April 13, 2025
Nice seeing the cool stuff from taekwondo make it to the cage https://t.co/4A8qYm0Xno
— Josie Aldo (@JosieAldoMMA) April 13, 2025
Jus push forward. He doesn't handle pressure well.
— Daniel Straus (@DanielStraus) April 13, 2025
Yair Rodriguez up 20-18 and Patricio Pitbull needs a finish or his UFC debut is going to come to a disappointing end#UFC314
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) April 13, 2025
20-18 Yair Rodriguez .. He looks incredible.. throwing nonstop volume and his takedown defense is on point #UFC314
— Ian Parker (@IanParkerMMA) April 13, 2025
Fighter removed: Patricio Pitbull
Jk, but he did all this tweeting to not go after it, is crazy . Didn’t even fight . Yair didn’t even have to fight … #UFC314
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) April 13, 2025
PITBULL ARM BAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN HE FINISH IT?!?! NO!!!! YAIR LITERALLY STANDS AND PULLS HIS ARM OUT!!!!
YAIR SHOTS TO THE BODY FROM TOP!!! PITBULL DRAGS HIM BACK DOWN!!! #UFC314
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) April 13, 2025
Sad fight for long time fans of the great Patricio Pitbull. Too late #UFC314
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) April 13, 2025
Wow impressive performance amazing footwork and distance management by Yair to get the win @ufc #UFC314 #Miami
— Charles Rosa (@CharlesRosaMMA) April 13, 2025
Yair with a flawless performance let’s gooo
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) April 13, 2025