El Pantera (2018) - full transcript

We say
something like this in Mexico.

Small hometowns

big hell.

What you see

all day

everyday

I mean it's what you become
sometimes.

You don't want to talk to much
about

this kind of stuff because you
never know

who is listening you know what
I'm saying?

You are in risk.



I don't lost just friends

I lost family

but it's just the reality bro.

Some people thinks that it's
hard

in the neighborhoods

Man, you don't have idea.

I been through some stuff

I don't want nobody to
experience never.

When I was a kid we was getting
into a store

when we started like hearing
some this, like shotguns.

And one friend of my dad

he was fighting another guy
with, with machine guns

My father have to cover me and
take me to the floor.

People killing each other
because the war.



The war is there everyday.

For me this is about life.

I mean I don't have anything
else.

Fighting is the only thing that
I have.

They get more swollen
after driving?

Yeah, a little bit, you know.

Look, looks funny right here you
know...

But I mean what you can do you
know just

Keep doing it.

This is the chair I used to sit
with when

I used to live in this house
with my Aunt Susie "Alma".

And I work in three different
times here in Juarez.

One when I was like kind of a
kid,

I used to be the one who pack
stuff

put stuff in the people's bags
and give it to them.

And I used to have tips for that
and that was when I was a kid.

Then after that I used to work
in the water commission

with my Aunt checking the stuff
in the floor you know,

the numbers and stuff by GPS.

The third time that I work here
in Juarez was

doing some in the natural store

working the back.

You guys can have an idea where
I used to work.

Come a long way

‐Yeah, come a long way yeah

So you guys are more welcome to
sit.

I'm not standing up because of
my foot,

I have ice on my foot right now.

But, you guys are more than
welcome to sit.

Panther! Panther! Panther!

One of the most
exciting fighters in the UFC
period

that has come on in the last
several years.

A guy who is coming off a win
over Andrei Fili

with a just a vicious face kick
knockout.

The guy throws techniques that
most of us

couldn't even imagine.

A massively unpredictable
fighter.

Now growing up for you though,
obviously

was really unique I mean,

You know I looked it up,
you grew up in one of the most

violent cities in all of Mexico.

And you lost a lot of your
friends to that city too

You lost friends who died in
some of those activities.

Your hometown Parral is right in
the corridor right to Juarez

where a lot of these cartels

you know, a lot of that drug
trafficking takes place

Very very dangerous... And now
you've escaped all of that.

And you're going to fight in the
main event in Salt Lake City.

You've become a star in the UFC

and you're going to be in your
first main event...

The tram is now approaching

the shops at Crystals

To access the alley inside a
casino,

please hold onto a hand rail.

It's the first time that
I've been

all over the place like

Argentina, Mexico, Salt Lake
City, Chicago, Vegas...

Like, all like in a period of
three weeks.

So it's been crazy, crazy, crazy
for me.

This is my first time it's been
this busy and crazy.

I just feel like my muscles are
so tight right now,

that's why I have this little
ball, you know to

Get my muscles relaxed and then
have a good workout.

I always say this before
my fights,

you win your fight in your
training camp

when your training...

I mean...

Doing interviews and that kind
of stuff

that doesn't going to make me a
champion.

This sport is crazy, I mean...

You can be fighting top

fifteen guys then you fight for
a championship.

Fuck man, it's just a rough
sport.

This week with
Marco is just basically

just reinforcing everything he
has been doing

I mean there's not much to do,
just to...

Get him very comfortable to cut
weight and

For him to go out there so he
can go out there and perform

at the highest level.

And just for Yair, just to

Keep on working man just trying
to find times in this busy week.

It's tough because he has a lot
of obligations

but it's part of his job and
this is his job you know.

[Hitting pads÷\}

My English is not good, you know
I'm learning.

I'm new in this country, I have
a couple months here.

So I try to be better in my
language.

And sometimes when I try to you
know

Have relationships with another
people, it's like

you can feel the stop, you know.

The people is like stopping you
like,

they don't want like friendship.
They don't want relationships.

They want only, you know, the
work and that's it.

For example in this country

it's really hard when you try to
make some relations

with some people

And the people is like the other
culture, the other nationality.

It's really hard because
sometimes the people,

people is racist you know?

Mexico is the country
next to, the neighbor

of America,

but at the same time we never
lose the identity.

I can see here in this country

sometimes the people is like
they don't care.

I'm heavy coach...

166.

I'm twenty pounds so I'm not
bad.

We are like thirty six, thirty
four days right?

Thirty four days from the fight.

Once I start like eating good...

It's going to be good.

No worries?

No worries, nah.

I always miss home bro,
it's just...

Hard to be in another country
with another culture

Speaking another language,
where...

I'm by myself here, I have my
friends and stuff like that,

but it's not the same thing as
having your family,

your real family.

And it's uhh...

I mean all of this is for a
dream, you know?

My family knows that, I know
that. I mean...

For now I just enjoy what I have
for now,

I enjoy my time like watching

this spectacular view in Vegas
with the fireworks,

fourth of July.

It's just amazing bro and...

I mean I love, I love this
country as much

I love Mexico because

this is the country that give
the opportunity to

be here and work for my dream,
you know...

Everybody is trying to survive

and uhh

Everybody is trying to be free
bro too.

This city seen my first
trip with my family

out of my country.

I think it was the only one that
we have

as a family to this country.

Being here and seeing all those
lights

is just amazing bro because

my mom just told me that she,

she has thoughts about me being
here.

She never knew for what.

I wish they were here like
everyday but...

I know you can not have always
what you want.

I mean, life can not be that
easy right? It just can't be.

I'm just here for them too, to
bring them a nicer place or

you know, to buy them stuff.
This is for them bro.

I am never going to stop never,

I don't give a shit, until I
die.

Training some details
with Luiz Claudio

about our opponents stuff, good
stuff like

where are they good at,

what kind of positions, what are
our weaknesses too.

Marco is going to fight in two
days now.

The jiu jitsu game that we have
already, Marco and I

is good we know that, but it's
not that good as it can be.

Tap, tap. Put your
forehead on the ground.

There you go now pressure on the
shoulder.

Shoulder pressure, keep driving,
drive hard. He's already off.

Nice! Nice. Nice! Push that
knee...

I mean I just want to get these
guys the best training

we can get them you know because

if you can afford it, I mean why
not?

Sometimes that's the major issue
with these fighters,

they don't have

the money to afford a lot of
coaches but I mean...

Some of these guys have tourist
visa's

you know so they'll come for six
months

let's say at first for a month
or two months

get better get better

and build some confidence

then eventually gravitate to the
big leagues.

Right, and if you don't win

you do have to go back home
though?

Well yeah, I mean of course,

they got to make it you know.

I would say it's not just
a pleasure but the honor

you know to work with the

which I love it so much.

So your going to see a lot

and these guys definitely going
to make a lot of a noise

and get the belt for sure. It's
coming, belief it!

All right now moving on now

to the bantamweight division

Marco "Pscyho" Beltran versus
Reginaldo Viera.

136 for Marco Beltran.

Thank you Yair.

You have any words for Marco?

No, he's good.

He looks amazing bro.

I think he's going to finish
this fight

is what I really think.

The fighter is gone.

Let me try to get
it over to you... Ok? All right.

The vehicle is already gone

so you'll probably have
to make your way over there.

Yeah we can grab a...

we can run there.
‐Yeah yeah yeah...

He'll come in and have the
corner sheet and he'll...

Thank you sir.

This is the guy with your
wristbands.

He's at the arena. ‐Ok.

You should go up, make your way
up...

Yeah he's in the MGM.
‐He's in the arena?

Make your way over there, you
got his telephone number

rather than waiting here because
you'll have to come back here

and then go...

You should be over there,

just give him a call and locate
him that way.

‐I appreciate it sir.

Yeah I can't leave here
unfortunately

so I can't take you there.
‐Ok thank you no worries.

Taxi dude? Where can we
get a taxi?

Taxi sir?

Back inside.

Yeah they don't pick up anywhere
but the taxi stand.

MGM in the arena... In
the back...

No, no, not this one, the other
one.

I mean a lot of people has

stereotypes about Mexican
people.

And then they say we are always
late,

and it's funny because

it's the first time we are
filming a documentary

And now we're late because we're
never late.

And now we have to fucking grab
a cab and go to the MGM arena...

We don't have wrist bands yet
so...

Fuck.

Watch out!

My fighter, Marco Beltran,

he's fighting right now.

Bro, I'm serious you have to put

camera down.

Marco, how are you
feeling before your fight?

Pretty good, excited...

Bro I'm serious...

Dude, they are going to
kill me...

Well Marco Beltran is yet
to taste

defeat in the UFC. He wants to
keep that run going

But he will be in for a scrap
tonight

opposite Brazilian Reginaldo
Vieira.

Another talented Mexican
making some headway here

in the UFC.

Mexico city's Marco Beltran

making his third UFC appearance
tonight,

so far pretty darn good.

Much like his good
friend and training partner

Yair Rodriguez,

I mean this guy brings it each
and every time.

Right hand lands for Vieira!

And now an opening for the
Brazilian Vieira!

Oh! That up kick landed.

‐Oh no and he's hurt!

- Stop! Stop!
- There's the tap!

Marco Beltran continues...

His assault on the UFC
bantamweight division.

Huge win for the Mexican
tonight.

A great fight.

‐Take a look at those two
hugging each

other, when those two...

Marco Beltran and Yair
Rodriguez,

when they fight you want to
watch.

Declaring the

the winner by submission due to
a rear naked choke.

Marco "Psycho" Beltran!

I fucked my toe up yesterday.

I don't know what happened.

Got stuck in one of these
mats...

And now... I don't think that I
broke it,

I just think it pops out a
little bit

and then we put it back into
it's place.

And now it's just purple, so I
think we're good.

Not this dude...

It's nothing, not a big deal,

it's just sore.... couple of
days then that's it.

All right, does that
happen pretty common

in training like little toes...

Yeah it's a very common
injury man.

Fingers, toes, all that...
It's just it is what it is dude.

I mean, no big deal.

So it's been a long week,

he's a little bit tired so,

we got a couple more hours of
Reebok,

that Toyo one was a little, a
little tough.

You know your in camp and

it just throws everything off
being on the road and...

You know hopefully when he gets
home

takes some stress off his back

and starts focusing on that five
round fight and

I know he's going to perform, I
know he's going to win.

Want to go over there?

Yeah man, I'm fucking

it was two fucking hours.

Fuck.

- You got badges?
- Huh?

Who you with?

He's a fighter.

That's one thing we just
don't want to do

with him is stretch him so thin
that

ya know, that you lose focus on
whats this about,

this is about...

You know, kicking ass and taking
names

and making money

And at the end of the day the
fame will

come with it

But we really have to make sure
that

we are focusing on what got us
here

and I think that's what a lot of

athletes lose track of and I
know Yair is not that guy.

But as his team, you know, we
work as a unit so...

We're gonna make sure as

this kid works his way to the
championship,

when he becomes champion,

we're gonna try and just focus
in on what we need to

To keep that belt and

and ya know maintain our status

as the best 145 pound fighter in
the world.

My body right now,

you guys don't have idea of how
I feel right now.

That's why I'm doing this kind
of stuff, you know,

because my body is so tired

I can not feel my legs, I can
not feel my shoulders,

my core and stuff like that,
it's just hard...

But if you decide to stand up
and fight against life too...

I mean the only bad thing that
can happen is just

you just keep fighting all your
life.

Then you're going to be a
fighter.

Then you're going to be a great
person

because you're going to learn.

I have been like been a lot of
mistakes in my life,

I did a lot of mistakes in my
life when I was younger.

But life is like that,

like how you can learn if you
don't do mistakes?

You learn about your mistakes,
about people's mistakes.

You have to kill or be killed.

You know that's two options...

Or for me at least it's like
that.

Have to go there and finish my
job.

Do you
want music today or quiet?

I think I'm going quiet.
‐Quiet today?

Yeah.

See

it takes the form of your ear

that way the water doesn't go
in.

And you can actually not hear
anything

but your mind, but your self,
which is good because...

Who you are when you are with
nobody,

who you are right here...

That's the important thing.

Know what, who you are when you
are with people

when you are with your cell
phone and stuff,

that's not the real you,

that's the guy you are trying to
be with people, the cool one.

The important one is

who you are when you are by
yourself alone,

without music, in the darkness.

What are your thoughts right
there?

Sometimes I'm afraid of that to
because...

How it can be bad, it can be to
good, you know so...

That's what I'm trying to do
right now

trying to let my thoughts be
positive...

as powerful as I can right now
and...

Just make that happen in real
life, so let's do it guys.

Let's go guys, hurry up
hurry up hurry up.

If God shows what he has planned
for us dude

it would boggle our mind.

If you could see the doors he's
going to open

the opportunities that will
cross our path

and the people that will show up
in our lives...

We will be amazed, excited and
passionate for victory.

You got to believe it before you
see it,

and then you have to go and
achieve it.

Up to this point it's the most
important fight for us,

you know and...

We just want to do things right,
you know

and not make it an issue where

the altitude might effect us or
anything like that,

we don't want to have no
excuses.

Seventeen days out...

I'm not trying to focus on
building muscle with you,

at all.

That point starts earlier in the
training phase.

At this point your in your
cutting phase,

your cutting weight.

We're trying to keep the
mobility,

the functionality, the speed,
the quickness

and still benefitting from the
workouts at the same time, so...

We're gonna get into it.

Ready?

Go!

Go! Good good. Pop it out, good.

Again, good good.

Yeah! Come on!

Come on! Hit it!

Chop chop. Quicker quicker. Come
on.

Hit it, come on, come on, yup,
yup.

Aghhh! Yeah!

Let's go, ten seconds, nine...

There we go.

Eight.

It's nothin, let's go...

Get it up!

Six, five...

Don't do it.

Four, three.

Nice!

Two, one.

Aghh!

That's my guy, nice job.

You ok?

You look better this

time around then you did last
time around.

I told you...

I think this training camp,

I don't know what it is,
the diet or something...

I'm the only fucking
Latin American guy

that's traveling all over the
fucking country.

All of fucking Latin America
bro...

These guys aren't fucking doing
that shit.

‐Right.

He's from here.

All he has to go, fucking

Latin America, fucking fly

twelve hours to fucking
Argentina...

Fucking four hours to Mexico.

He don't fucking have to fucking
do that shit.

He have to fucking travel from

Miami to Salt Lake City maybe...

‐Right.

For all that stuff.

Do media in fucking Miami.

He has all that shit here.

My market is in Mexico. My
market is in Latin America.

‐Yeah so you're dealing with two
different markets.

Yeah.

Let's get it done man,

we gotta find some way to get it
done.

Let's get some food prepped.

You can't fear
anything, and I think that's

what gives Yair the most upside.

You sometimes hear things like,

"he can't do that, you can't do
that..."

I mean, in my opinion that's a
bunch of bullshit.

The number one is just the
confidence of

not by any means you overlook
anybody,

but you understand your long
term vision

and your long term goals.

And, you know, ultimately your
competing against yourself.

Good, get those legs in,
use your legs.

Roll under that leg.

Scramble, make him work.

Time! One minute... Good job.

That's a hell of a lot of
action.

No, that's not a fucking
good job.

- He win that fight.
- Huh?

He win the fight first round.

Ready... Go!

Aghh!

Seeing what the fuck
happened to me?

What'd you say you were
going to do?

You said you weren't going to
shoot a double leg.

Then don't shoot a double leg.

Aghh!

Haha... Yeee!

Your foot? Your toe?

Come on you motherfucker...

Time! Cool down, good job...

Cool down guys...

Cool down and stretch
each other out.

I'm almost on weight
right now, I'm three days

before my weigh ins.

So its one of these ones, one
macaron

and some pieces of power snacks.

And then I have a surprise for
one of my coaches,

I just call him today, I used to
train with him and then, he...

He used to don't charge me

nothing for go and train with
him.

I used to sleep in his house. He
was pretty important part...

He called me like three or four
days ago

he's like "You are not the only
one,

like making your sacrifice,

we are doing sacrifice for you
too so..."

"Let's go and kick this fucking
guys ass."

And I was like "I will try man,
I will do my best let's do it!"

I just buy a little piece
of land in Parral,

it's not huge you know, it's a
small piece of land...

But I'm going to try to build a
house there,

I want my fathers to live there
if they want.

That way they can rent the house
they live right now

or they can rent the house I'm
gonna build... um...

You know then they can stay
there, they can keep the house.

I mean, at least they have a
place to stay.

For the people who
doesn't know me,

I'm from Chihuahua, Mexico.

I'm going to fight Alex Caceres
August 16th, next Saturday

Alex "Bruce Leeroy" Caceres and
it's going to be a good fight.

"How you see

the fight will go between you
and Connor McGregor?"

I think it's gonna,

I mean probably if I fight him
someday,

it's gonna be a good fight
because...

I respect him so much, I look up
to him too,

he's one of my inspirations.
I think he's pretty good and...

And he has power and hr has this
crazy stuff too,

and I just think that it can be
a pretty interesting

fight between him and I...

"Waffles or Pancakes?" Pancakes
bro, I love pancakes.

We get him closer to the fans,

closer as possible.

So in this case he's doing a
twitter Q and A

for the UFC Network account, you
know for Latin America.

And after that,

he will be doing a Facebook Live
for all of the global accounts.

This is what you just did

People thinks it's just Connor
McGregor in the UFC,

and they are always asking me
about Connor McGregor.

I mean if you to ask something
to him just ask him,

don't ask me about him.

And they ask me if I'm afraid of
him,

I mean I'm not afraid to die,
I'm not afraid of nobody...

And they say if they think that
I can beat him?

I mean I think that I can beat

everyone

you know in this world,

in this earth.

I mean everybody is human, I
don't know why

I can not beat him, you know?

We love idols, we love
Mexican fighters,

boxers or MMA fighters
now, so he'll get there.

It's not easy to be a
professional athlete in Mexico.

My song to come out of
this fight

is going to be

it's a song of my state of my
country.

When I used to talk to my
parents it was like

"Come on man, I'm here in
Parral...

Parral is a small town, nobody
comes here."

I mean, just you know, nobody is
interested in MMA fighters here.

Like, why should I dream more
than this?

I don't know what's going to
happen you know,

I don't even have visa.

It was 115 guys

that are trying to be

a part of those twelve selected
to go to Albuquerque.

So I was one of those guys

and the UFC just fix everything
because like...

I mean anyways if I was

trying to come here to the
United States

I didn't have the money to come

fix my visa or stuff like the
you know...

And not even the time because I
was working, so when?

That was awesome,
thank you for doing that.

Thank you man.

Yair Rodriguez is a great

opponent, I like opponents that
push me to my limit,

that can really test my
meddle...

And he's definitely one of those
guys that will,

you know, show me what I'm made
of so umm...

I would like Saturday to go all
five rounds.

I trained for five rounds...

I've trained so long for this
fight

that I would like to make the
most out of this fight

and get the most time inside of
the octagon as possible.

Right, and any words
for Yair, your opponent?

Good luck and I hope you have a
good performance against me

and let's get fight of the
night.

Right now
he's starting to becoming

a big idol in Mexico

because he born in Mexico, he
knows his country,

he knows his people.

And then hopefully in the future
when they retire

they can go to Mexico and spread
all

of their wisdom about mixed
martial arts in Mexico

and then we don't need to come
to the United States but,

you know...

That politicians can say

whatever he want, like we
don't...

We don't care that much because,

of course we're not paying
for a fucking wall, like,

a lot of politicians in Mexico
say it...

Like the things is working right

because right now after all the
sacrifice, well

Yair "The Panther" Rodriguez

is the main event of the UFC
Fight Night...

And so for us it's great.

Hi ya doing man?

Can I get a picture?

Thanks man!

Thanks man!

Whoo!

Feel more pride
for Mexico, I mean I know that

he's living out here in the
United States

just like we all do

so it just kind of feel more of

like me, like you know I'm
immigrated from Mexico, so uh

it's been a...

A big inspiration for a lot of
people to like, ya know,

come and uhh...

And be somebody here in a
different country.

I mean you know I hate the fact
that "Make America Great Again"

I mean, I feel America is
already great so...

McGregor, he's coming for you if
you're still there!

This is a pretty big deal, right
here, my man bring this...

I mean this is great, this what
make me get excited,

you know all pumped up for
Saturday...

So this guy right here is a
doing a great job.

Yeah so I was saying that
I was thinking last time,

I was in the shower thinking
about this stuff

after a CNN interview of Donald
Trump and stuff.

I just think he's ignorant about
some

stuff, that he's supposed to
know

to be in his place where he's at
right now, you know?

I think he's just there because
of his money.

How many people has been here
for years,

they have been trying to do the
right things,

the right stuff

but they have fucking years
trying to becoming

residents or have a green card
and stuff,

and then they can't.

Sometimes you guys can say that
because your living here

and you don't watch or you don't
see stuff that we always see...

We just want to run sometimes,
we just want to

be in a better place you know?

I mean I'm sorry, I'm sorry you
can blame me if you want man,

trying to be in the best place,
you know but it...

Your trying to do well in life,

some of the ways, the easiest
way is to just try to come here

to the United States and do
well.

It's just about racism, it's
about all that stuff,

I mean this world doesn't
progress.

You know we have to broke,
those,

how do you call that stuff?

Walls, we have to broke that
walls, you know...

It's just hard to live in a
country where it's like

a lot of corruptcy and stuff
like that,

you never know what can happen
to you,

it's just the way that I think.

Right, and then last
question on the topic,

do you think America is a racist
country still?

In certain ways yes,

and another different way
to talk, no.

It's just a kind of racism,

it's a kind like funny, you know
they try to play jokes

and stuff like that, it's
still racism

It feel like shit guys, don't do
it, please stop it.

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a dozen fight organizations.

First fighter to the scale
Alex "Bruce Leeroy" Caceres.

145 for Alex Caceres.

And his opponent, Chihuahua,
Mexico's

Yair "The Panther" Rodriguez!

146 the official weight for Yair
Rodriguez.

Yair Rodriguez, again your
first UFC main event,

a lot of support for you here in
the building,

gotta feel pretty good?

I'm pretty excited to be
the headliner

of the event right now.

And thank you to all of my
friends and people, family...

All of you guys, thank you for
come here.

This is for you guys, I love
you. I love you so much.

All my cousins, my aunts my mom
is right over there...

All of my friends.

I love you so much, thank you so
much for this opportunity.

Thank you. We look forward
to watching you perform...

Folks, Yair Rodriguez!

Alex Caceres looks pretty
relaxed, calm,

I like that you know, actually I
think I'm more nervous than him

but who cares, who cares.

Let's do the work, let's see how
the fight goes

and I'm pretty happy, pretty
happy because all my

family, all my friends and let's
see what happens.

Oh! There's more people there
waiting for me.

It's not pressure, this
is an opportunity

He has an unbelievable
opportunity.

How many guys in the UFC right
now have that opportunity to

lead a nation? You know...

And we see what McGregor did
with it

and I hate to say it but Mexico

is a little bit bigger nation.

Than Ireland ya know so...

How many times did Muhammed Ali
lose throughout his career?

I mean he lost you know, four,
five, six times...

But it's what he represented and

and he can inspire everyone you
know?

Like you said with the
political times he...

Not only the hispanic community
in Mexico,

but in America, the Mexican
Americans.

I think Yair is
the perfect guy to

to kind of bring the traditional
boxers over

to the new world of MMA because

he represents a lot of the
traditional values

they like but...

he's an exciting fighter, he's a
lot of fun to watch and...

I think those tools is what
really gives

the kind of traditional boxing
guys that bridge over into MMA.

It's been an exciting journey I
think for Yair.

He's always been creative, he's
always been passionate,

he's always had a great work
ethic

but just to see him ya know,

start to come into his own,
start to turn this corner,

put kind of all the techniques
together,

it's been a lot of fun, it's
been an incredible journey.

Time.

It's like I told him before you
know...

You didn't get ready for

three weeks or six weeks or
eight weeks, no...

You've been getting ready all
your life

since you were five years old,
for today.

You know so, whatever it is,
he's ready, you know...

He needs to put all of his
martial arts skills out there

and put them and show them to
the world what he can do.

All right with that it is
now time

for tonight's main event.

Featherweight hopefuls Alex
Caceres and Yair Rodriguez,

deservedly find themselves in
their first UFC main event.

"El Corrido De Chihuahua"

Well in terms of prospects
across all UFC divisions

they just don't come more highly
touted then this young man

twenty three year old Yair
Rodriguez.

Grew up surrounded by
violence...

And enjoys every moment of this.
Everything in his life

is about becoming a UFC
champion, becoming a star.

And man has his fan base swelled

over the last twelve months.
I mean

everywhere we've gone here in
Salt Lake City,

your seeing Mexican flags, his
name on vehicles,

they're filming a documentary,

this man is all of the rage in
Mexico right now

as he arrives at this UFC
headliner.

Ladies and gentlemen,

this is the main event of the
evening!

Ready? You ready? Let's do it!

Ahh!

‐Nice superman punch landed
there by Caceres.

Beautiful attack to the body by
Rodriguez

‐This is where Caceres, oh!
There he lands the nice left

hand. Was just about to say he's
gotta let those hands go

and he lands nicely...

Best punch of the fight for him.

Rodriguez has landed more, oh!

Twice as many significant
strikes.

American crowd here getting
behind Caceres.

‐Right to the body, left to the
head.

Fifth and final round.

Alex Caceres had to feel like if
he got to this point

he'd be in a pretty good
position.

‐Really this round could decide
the fight.

‐I'll tell ya, Rodriguez, he's
pushing the pace here.

‐Letting the hands go, another
beautiful kick,

his right leg is so fast there
is no telegraphing.

Nice job by Caceres to land that
offering

but unable to land on it's
own...

And Rodriguez...

Looking to put the finishing
touches

on what has been a good fifth
round for him.

‐Just nonstop and again lands
it!

Ladies and gentleman,
after five rounds

we go to the judges scorecard
for a decision.

Derrick Cleary scores the
contest 49‐46 Caceres.

Glenn Trowbridge scores it 48‐47
Rodriguez.

And Tony Wheeks scores the
contest 48‐47

for the winner by split
decision...

Yair "The Panther" Rodriguez!

Yair Rodriguez
congratulations! With your mom,

your aunt, a pleasure to watch
you perform,

how do you feel about the fight?

I feel great. I'm just
going to say this first

in Spanish then I'm going to try
to say it in English.

Because all of my family and
friends are here,

so I think this is for them, so.

And thank you all of you guys to
come here tonight

and support me.

Thank you Rikardo Morales, he's
my last coach

from Mexico I was training with
him so thank this guy I'm here.

Thank you to Ramon, it's a good
time to thank you guys.

Thank you Mark, thank you all of
my family,

so thank you so much guys.

There is a new
featherweight contender,

his name is Yair Rodriguez.

Look at me, I'm fucking all
fucked up right now

but I feel fucking amazing.

I don't know how to explain that
you know,

that's what I was talking
with my mom, umm...

I mean you go there and fight
and try to your best and stuff

you know but

even when you get out of there
and your full of

pain and your body is full of
pain, you have scars

and you have blood on your face
and

all of your people is behind
you,

this just feel amazing...

Hi there. What's up man?

‐Oh not to much, my name
is Rob, what's yours?

‐What's up?

‐What's your name?

My name? Yair.

‐Gaier?

Yair, Y A I R

I spell it for you.

‐Do you have a nickname?

The Panther!

‐The Panther, that's much
easier.

‐They call me "The Panther"
too...

No shit?

‐Yeah, no lies. Yeah.

No lies? Why?

‐I have no idea. Me either.

That's the funny stuff man...
ok...

‐So umm, tell me what hurts?

Fuck bro, every time you
do like that it like ugh...

And up in here?

Ok, and then ya gotta, let's see
here on your face...

Smile.

Bite down... Good... All
right...

K, we're gonna get...

We're gonna get X‐Rays, and...

We're getting a lot stuff...
Sorry.

"I feel pretty happy, I
feel pretty excited

for my kid... My little kid
Yair."

"This is a culmination of
the sportsman that he puts

through and he just make me
like, a lot, pretty happy."

Are you glad the fight
is over now?

She said

she's glad because "It was too
long, five rounds

you know twenty five minutes in
there, three rounds five minutes

It was to long for her

because they were hitting each
other to hard..."

Perfect, so and we got
fight of the night,

did I hear that?

Fight of the fucking
night man...

What are we doing to celebrate?

X‐rays, X‐rays and

pain pills.

This is how it feels bro.

They know, I mean...

They know about my...

My life before starting MMA, how
I was, ya know

I was a fucking crazy kid.

They know you know.

This sport has saved my life
literally.

You know they know I love this
sport.

I used to live with my aunt in
Juarez

and she know that I was having a
hard time,

she was helping me a lot there..

She was giving me money that I
never pay her back for

I don't know why I remember
this.

I never pay her back, she was
just helping me a lot.

My aunt Shelly, she was always
talking to me about all

of my dreams come true and
stuff,

supporting me and stuff like
that.

They just amazing bro.

It's been a hard time for all of
us you know, hard.

I mean like I'm telling you I
think Mexico has a lot of

inspiration they just need a
little bit of a push

But this is not just for Mexico,

I mean I have a lot of friends
here

and I just want to broke that
walls.

Go past through that walls you
know,

like it doesn't exist. I mean,
we can live like brothers...

We're, you know we are
just a fucking couple minutes
from the border right now...
And...

Where people's try to jump and
all that kind of stuff,

where they are trying to come to
the United States...

You will see that kind of stuff.

Have you ever had any
friends or family, that you know

of, that have tried to cross and
not gotten through

or gotten through?

Umm...

I don't think that I should say
that bro, I don't know...

Be careful with the
fucking electricity.

The only thing that make us
different, because

the government make us different
is that kind of stuff, you know?

That's what pull us apart,

that's the only thing.

They call it like the "Golden
Jail"

being here in the United States
without papers...

Because yea, I mean let's say
you get work

but you are by yourself here
alone.

All right you have money, but
you came here because

you want to help your family and
now you can't see your family.

Now you are just sending them
money.

You can not see them, you can
not do stuff,

you can not travel to much
because

because you literally live in
fear of

the police come and get you.

Or you are working at a
restaurant or something like

that and they go and get you
there.

People's is gonna still coming
it doesn't matter if

Donald Trump puts a wall right
here...

They still gonna be doing
tunnels or flying all over so...

It doesn't matter, people just
gonna

keep looking for a best chance
of living.

Hi sir, we are just gonna
ask for permission to film the

little piece of metal like where
it says Mexico and

the United States.

Sometimes people doesn't
understand,

it's not there job to
understand...

I've been, for months I've been

under the land of cameras,

you know signing autograph for
hours...

But I mean you owe that to the
people, you know

you can't say no or you can't
mad

or stuff like that because

these people done love you and
it's people you love too,

so, you know there's nothing you
can do about that.

So where are we now?
This is a pretty sweet view.

Um, we are getting into the
piece of land I was talking to

you guys about that I just buy
where' I'm gonna build a house.

I mean it's just... Like right
in front.

It's a good piece of land,

I think we can build a beautiful
house here.

Does that ease some of
the pressure

knowing that your gonna be able
to have the finances to

help your whole family out?

K, I'm gonna say this but not on
camera.

I mean my career's been good
until now

but I have to figure some stuff
out you know.

I'm going to try to renegotiate
my contract...

And I have five fights, I win
five of those fights and

Every time they ask for
something I say yes, you know,

I've been... I'm a clean guy,
I'm a professional athlete.

Every time that I'm gonna
fight...

I speak English, I speak Spanish
you know

so I think that I deserve a
little bit more money you know,

so...

Even if it's hard for me, even
if I love this sport,

if things are not going the way
that I want, want it to go...

I'm gonna stop fighting you know
because I think it's the

way that it has to be you know?

Look at my body, you know I'm
limping

and I'm twenty three years old.

What's gonna happen you know,
later?

Of a 100 percent of my purse, I
have to pay 52 percent...

48 percent is mine.

So... What the fuck... ya know?

I know that I have to pay that
money because my coaches,

my manager, federal taxes are...

You know the United States taxes
because of being Mexican

in there you have to pay 30
percent of taxes

and stuff like that...

But I just want you guys to know
that it's not like you

guys think, I don't have tons of
money in my bank account.

Being Mexican do they charge you

a higher tax than a normal
American?

Yeah, being Mexican they
charge you a higher taxé\

than being a normal American
citizen.

Hopefully the UFC help me
out with a little bit more

motivation that way I can keep
fighting.

But you wouldn't be
afraid to walk away?

I won't be afraid...

I have... I don't want to be
rough with the people,

but I have, you know, Mexican
Pride...

So, if I have to say to my dream
goodbye for sometime

I will say goodbye.

I mean it is about life too, I
think...

I just have one body, ya know...

Ya know, that's why it's to hard

I don't want to be fixing my
body with the money that

I have in the bank account...

Just because I don't take care
of that

when I'm supposed to take care
of that.