After the less than satisfactory ending to their first meeting, Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens will run it back at UFC Boston.
Well, that was quick. A super necessary rematch between UFC Mexico City headliners Yair Rodriguez (11–2, 1NC) and Jeremy Stephens (28–16, 1NC) has been booked for next month’s UFC Boston, where it will serve as the evening’s co-main event. The development was first reported by ESPN, citing UFC President Dana White.
The fight should bring some closure to what was a nasty end to the pair’s first meeting last weekend. On Saturday at UFC Mexico City, the action came to a close just seconds into the main event, after Rodriguez poked Stephens in the eye. ‘Lil Heathen’ was rendered unable to continue, and the doctor called off the fight after Stephens could not open his eye after a full five minutes. The official result was a No Contest.
In the immediate aftermath, Mexican fans hurled drinks and whatever else they could find towards the cage, and at Stephens as he exited the arena, with security in tow. That shameful scene aside, Rodriguez later seemed to make things worse, accusing his opponent of quitting while responding to a fan on social media.
Not to mention an ugly incident at the fighter hotel, which saw both fighters hurling homophobic slurs at one another.
They’ll get to run it back in Boston, however. The card, officially UFC on ESPN 6, is headlined by Chris Weidman and Dominick Reyes. The event takes place at Boston’s TD Garden on Friday, October 18.
