Imanol Rodríguez, a 26-year-old mixed martial arts fighter from Santa Rosa, California, is preparing to make his debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on Saturday, February 28th, in Mexico City. Rodríguez will face Kevin Borjas (10-4) in a flyweight (125-pound) bout on the main card of “UFC Fight Night” at Arena CDMX.
Rodríguez’s journey to the UFC has been rapid. He is currently undefeated with a professional record of 6-0. His recent success includes a victory over Roque Conceição via technical knockout in the Dana White’s Contender Series last fall, earning him a contract with the UFC. Prior to that, he reached the semi-final stage of the UFC’s “Ultimate Fighter” reality present, where he was selected as a third pick by a team led by UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier.
Training at Sanchez Boxing MMA in Santa Rosa, under the guidance of Rosendo Sanchez, has been instrumental in Rodríguez’s development. Sanchez, who previously served as a striking coach for UFC Hall of Famers Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier, as well as current UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, praised Rodríguez’s work ethic and dedication. “His work ethic is outstanding,” Sanchez said. “He comes in, he listens and his attention to detail, in terms of what he wants to work on even as outworking everybody, is a quality that a lot of kids don’t have.” Sanchez described Rodríguez as “a good kid” who is “putting Santa Rosa on the map.”
Rodríguez, originally from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, now splits his training time between Sanchez’s gym in Santa Rosa and Cormier’s fight camp in Gilroy, California. He views Sanchez as a father figure, particularly poignant as his own father has passed away. “He’s become a father to me,” Rodríguez said of Sanchez. “Unfortunately, my father is in heaven, but Rosendo has become that person to tell my problems to and how I feel. He spends time with me not only as a trainer, but also as part of the family.”
The opportunity to fight in Mexico City holds special significance for Rodríguez, allowing him to compete in front of family, friends, and a supportive home crowd. “It’s a very special moment because I’ll have my family, my friends, and many people who have supported me, who don’t have to go to Las Vegas or other countries,” he stated. “I think the fact of being at home is very beautiful, and it’s very exciting to understand that all of Mexico will be watching me.”
Rodríguez joins a growing list of successful Mexican fighters in the UFC, including Raúl Rosas Jr., also from Santa Rosa, and established stars like Brandon Moreno – who headlines the February 28th card against Lone’er Kavanagh – Yair Rodríguez, and Alexa Grasso. However, Rodríguez aims to forge his own path. “The first Imanol Rodríguez,” he said with a smile. “I think my name is going to resonate a lot. This year is going to be a tough year, but I’m going to rise a lot in the division.”
The “UFC Fight Night” event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. And will be broadcast live on Paramount Plus. Rodríguez’s fight is the first bout on the main card.
