"It will make my career grow" - Yair Rodriguez explains why a fight against former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is crucial for him

Yair Rodriguez believes a fight between himself and Max Holloway would be an amazing bout, and 'El Pantera' has nothing but respect for the former UFC featherweight champion.

During his interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, Yair Rodriguez billed Holloway as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in history. The number three-ranked UFC featherweight also added that a fight against 'Blessed' would be amazing for Rodriguez's career and help him grow.

"I think that'll be an amazing fight, to be honest, you know. Max has earned all my respect, since I started fighting even before that for the UFC and you know, he's one of the best pound-for-pound in history. You know, who wouldn't like to fight him? Who would not like to fight Max Holloway? I would love to face him, you know, at some point, one day. It will be amazing for me, for my career. It will make my career grow."

Yair Rodriguez believes that stylistically, a fight between him and Holloway is a good matchup. Rodriguez also noted that Holloway landed almost 500 significant strikes in his fight against Calvin Kattar.

'El Pantera' added that fighting the former UFC featherweight champion will push Rodriguez to go across his own limit and see what he can do against somebody like Holloway.

"Like styles [stylistically], it's a good matchup. How many punches did he land in his last fight? Like 500 or something? Like crazy. I think that would push me to grow if I ever have to fight him. To push me, to go across my own limit and see what I can do against somebody like him. And that will be super nice, I would love to fight him."

Yair Rodriguez hasn't fought in the UFC since 2019

Yair Rodriguez's last UFC fight was in 2019, when he fought and defeated Jeremy Stephens. The Mexican has claimed he is currently determined to face arch-rival Zabit Magomedsharipov. However, if Rodriguez can compile a few more wins, a fight against the number one-ranked Max Holloway shouldn't be far off.

Rodriguez's most iconic moment in the UFC so far is his last-second knockout of 'The Korean Zombie' with one of the most unorthodox elbow strikes you will ever see.

1 second left...Yair Rodriguez KO's Chan Sung Jung out of nowhere. No better way to go out on the 25th Anniversary! pic.twitter.com/1C2C6ev62c

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) November 11, 2018