Daniel Barez calls out ‘Lazy Boy’ Rodriguez for UFC flyweight showdown

Daniel Barez needs to check himself in opposition to one of many hottest names within the UFC’s flyweight division at this time.

The Spanish fighter is hoping to get booked in opposition to Mexico’s Ronaldo Rodriguez, higher generally known as “Lazy Boy,” for his subsequent journey to the octagon. Barez (17-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) thinks it’s a struggle that lends itself to be a fan-friendly affair and thinks it’s a subsequent step that is sensible for each events.

“He’s a fighter that needed to undergo loads to get within the UFC as effectively,” Barez instructed MMA Junkie in Spanish. “He went to Contender Collection, misplaced, after which got here again – which is similar to my path.

“He’s a warrior, he’s Mexican, and I practice in Mexico as effectively, and he has a warrior’s spirit. I feel it might be a very good struggle. He has actually good boxing and good wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He has two UFC fights like me, so I don’t assume I’m asking for something loopy. I hope I get it.”

Barez is coming off a unanimous determination over Victor Altamirano at a UFC Struggle Night time in Paris final month. In the meantime, “Lazy Boy” additionally comes off a determination win, as he outpointed Ode Osbourne at UFC 306 at Sphere.

Though he was already on his radar, Barez appreciated what he noticed from Rodriguez (17-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC), which made him much more concerned with calling him out.

“I assumed it was a really powerful struggle, and but he was capable of pull off the comeback after getting knocked down by his opponent,” Barez mentioned. “The reality is that that’s why I’d like to struggle him. He’s a man that fights until the very finish, and I think about myself the identical sort of fighter. I struggle until the tip, and I don’t surrender. That’s why I need to struggle him.”

Barez was born and nonetheless lives in Spain, however he does chunk of his coaching camps at Entram Gymnasium in Tijuana, Mexico. All through his years touring to the Americas, Barez has picked up the world-famous Mexican boxing type – which he want to put to the take a look at in opposition to a local.

“He’s Mexican, and he trains his boxing with nice execs,” Barez mentioned. “I’m Spanish, however I’ve been coaching a very long time in Mexico, so I’d like to field him. He containers effectively, however so do I. I hit very laborious and I can knock anybody out within the division, similar to he can. So let’s see who has higher Mexican boxing, let’s throw down.”