Yair Rodríguez: Dynamic Movement

Personally, as a Korean, I have yet to meet someone who claims that Taekwondo can be effective in a fight. This is saddening, as Taekwondo (which I have a 2nd-Dan black belt in) is the first martial art that I began training (since I was six) and is what led me to boxing and wrestling. That said, Yair Rodríguez never fails to amaze me on how he seamlessly integrates Taekwondo techniques into his mixed martial arts (MMA) fights. Yair Rodríguez’s fluid movements and dynamic kicks showcase the effectiveness of Taekwondo in a competitive combat setting.

Rodríguez is a rare mixed martial artist with a Taekwondo background, holding a certified 3rd-degree black belt. Standing out in the featherweight division due to his tall stature, long legs, and adept use of Taekwondo’s characteristic fast footwork, he expresses deep respect for his master by teaching Taekwondo upon winning. In his fight against Max Holloway, weaknesses in his boxing and grappling were evident in the past, but during a substantial break from fighting, he showcased significant improvements.

Overall, his Taekwondo style surpasses that of other kickers, and he actively utilizes footwork more dynamically than typical kickers. This makes him flashy and threatening in the early stages of a fight, but his explosiveness tends to diminish as the fight progresses. Consequently, he often faces challenging situations in the later rounds, especially against other Hispanic fighters who excel in prolonged battles, such as the Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung), Max Holloway, and Brian Ortega. In these matchups, he adopts a strategy of reducing footwork, standing his ground, and engaging in close-quarters combat.

His most significant strength lies in unpredictable and dynamic strikes, including kicks and elbows. Thanks to his free stance switching, he can target opponents with kicks from any stance—orthodox and southpaw. His use of elbows is also commendable, employing spinning elbows to counter pressure from opponents and frequently using standing elbows to escape clinch situations. Additionally, he demonstrates good accuracy in delivering rapid punches inserted seamlessly during the process of retracting his leg after a kick.

Another strength is his footwork, which prevents him from getting trapped in the cage. Using quick side steps characteristic of Taekwondo, he evades opponents effectively, creating space by momentarily pushing them back with front oblique kicks and jabs. Unlike other kickers who tend to retreat only with backsteps and end up cornered against the cage, he can unleash his primary weapon, kicks, at any time. With the exception of fighters like Max Holloway, who possess significant pressure abilities, he has not encountered situations where his kicking range is disrupted.

One of his previously fatal flaws was boxing, but he has made considerable improvements during the hiatus. Although not yet considered top-class, his boxing skills have reached a decent level with fast hand speed and a variety of kick options. However, relying on punches for knockout strategies is practically impossible, as they lack significant power. Despite notable improvements, there is still much room for growth, as demonstrated in his fight against Max Holloway, where he struggled to maintain kicking distance against the relentless boxing pressure.

His explosive movements and frequent attempts at flashy attacks contribute to a style where stamina is a clear weakness. Movement visibly slows down beyond the third round, making him more vulnerable. As a contender aiming for the title, the championship rounds (4 and 5) are crucial, and this weakness poses a significant challenge against opponents like Yair Rodriguez, known for his dynamic striking output throughout the entire fight. Overcoming this issue is not easy, as it is an inevitable consequence of showcasing Yair’s greatest strength and weapon—dynamic striking output.

Currently, his most significant weakness is wrestling. He easily succumbed to control and endured numerous ground-and-pound attacks in a wrestling-style matchup against Frankie Edgar. His defensive wrestling is a major weakness, evident in getting taken down easily by striking specialist Max Holloway and ultimately being overwhelmed and defeated by Alexander Volkanovski. While he has not yet displayed significant efforts to sweep from bottom positions, his submission-catching ability appears decent. After the defeat to Holloway, he successfully caught Ortega and Emmett in an armbar and triangle choke, respectively.