Dean said that Stephens had time to recover and that the eye eventually would relax. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight strikers Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens will clash TONIGHT (Sept. 21, 2019) at UFC Fight Night 159 from inside Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico. The fight quickly was called off. Dean tried to pry Stephens' eye open himself, and it would not open. If he’s victorious against Stephens — particularly if he manages to finish the durable veteran — he’s just another win or two away from a shot at the title. But he's the only one who's gonna have to live with that in his mind for the rest of his life if it was a lie.". "You're the one that poked me in the eye. ET, then the main card portion that will stream on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. RJJ: Bout Delayed Because Tyson ‘Didn’t Have A Chance’. It’s sad.”. Stephens simply does not cut off the cage that well, and Rodriguez has the natural speed and distance techniques to make him pay for it at range — so long as he keeps moving. He eventually left the arena wearing sunglasses. Either way, victory proves that Rodriguez deserves his high ranking and is ready to attempt to climb the ladder once more. As for Stephens, he’s in a very interesting and difficult position. “Lil’ Heathen” has proven himself a top-notch Featherweight, only losing to the division’s absolute best while taking out some very tough foes in recent years. I honestly put a lot of effort, a lot of time. "I really gave my all for this camp. As I’m going to say again, I’m just going to give the benefit of the doubt to Jeremy Stephens. Highlights of the UFC featherweight bout between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. MMA Mania, UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, UFC Fight Night 159 card: Yair Rodriguez vs Jeremy Stephens full fight preview, Fighters Speculate On Ortega’s Massive Jockstrap. I really wanted to fight. ‘The Korean Zombie’ Releases Statement After Ortega Loss. The 33-year-old San Diego resident is ranked No. Rodriguez also was angry when the bout's result was announced. The stance switch alone will greatly improve Rodriguez’s defense. (0:59). While Rodriguez didn’t intentionally poke Stephens in the eye, he still regrets how everything played out, because nobody wanted the fight to end that way — especially him. ET. He’s lost his previous two bouts, which does put some pressure on “Lil Heathen” even if the two men to defeat him are currently ranked inside the Top 5. Bisping: Rodriguez vs. Stephens was over before it started (0:59) Michael Bisping discusses what went down in the main event between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens… If there’s a singular key here for Stephens, I have to believe it’s to avoid loading up too heavily on his punches. Yair Rodriguez was understandably upset following the end of his main event fight against Jeremy Stephens after an inadvertent eye-poke brought a … Stephens has been a perennial contender in the division. @espnmma @marc_raimondi pic.twitter.com/cxv2MlhljC. Nearly an hour after the fight was over, Stephens' coach, Eric Del Fierro, told ESPN's Heidi Androl that Stephens still was not unable to open his eye and that he would likely be sent to an emergency ophthalmologist. UFC Fight Island 6 video: Said Nurmagomedov brutalizes Mark Striegl with punches in just 51 seconds. Which fighter will remain standing when the dust settles? Rodriguez went from the division’s hottest prospect and imminent title contender to being briefly released quite quickly, and it seems like no one is exactly sure where he stands as a result. Bisping: Rodriguez vs. Stephens was over before it started (0:59) Michael Bisping discusses what went down in the main event between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens… They continued to hurl debris at Stephens as he was rushed from the cage area by security. People wanted a war. UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa just got into a Twitter feud with light heavyweight bruiser Anthony "Rumble" Johnson. Alexa Grasso via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28) If Stephens properly waits for his opportunities, he’ll have a better chance at capitalizing upon them. UFC on ESPN 6: Reyes vs. Weidman took place Oct. 17 at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. In the Frankie Edgar fight, my eye was completely closed. I couldn’t see nothing, but I was willing to keep on going. Roy Jones Jr. claims promoters delayed his boxing return because Mike Tyson didn’t have a chance on just six weeks notice after being inactive since 2005. Yair Rodriguez vs. Jeremy Stephens 2 full fight preview: Head-to-toe Featherweight bout breakdown for UFC on ESPN 6 co-main event match this Friday …