Jeremy Stephens shoves ‘coward’ Yair Rodriguez in hotel scuffle after UFC Mexico no contest
- ‘Lil’ Heathen’ and ‘Pantera’ get into altercation at JW Marriott hotel a day after their fight is called off because of an eye poke just 15 seconds in
- ‘I told him you will live the rest of your life with that in your head if you could continue and didn’t … shame on you,’ says Rodriguez
Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez got into a scuffle at their UFC Mexico City hotel a day after the show’s main event ended in a 15-second no contest.
The show’s main event was called off by the ringside doctor and referee Herb Dean, with Stephens unable to continue because of an eye poke from Rodriguez. “Lil’ Heathen” was unable to open his left eye during a five-minute recovery period, but the fans at the Mexico City Arena revolted and pelted him with plastic beer cups and loose pesos as security bundled him backstage.
The 33-year-old UFC veteran Stephens (28-16, 1 no contest) told Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show he was approached by Mexican Rodriguez at the JW Marriott hotel where things got of hand.
“I was bringing down my bags, checking my bags. So we were going to go grab some food and we were taking off,” he said. “He comes up all cordial, gives me a thumbs up and is like, ‘Everything OK?’ He comes up and shakes my hand and trying to be a gentleman, I get it. Then he starts talking s*** to me.”
“Bro, I am not from karate school, I am from the streets,” Stephens said. “I am here to compete, here to fight, here to kill you. Right away, my mentality was like, ‘Back the f*** up,’ so I shoved him. So his coaches, his dad and everybody were like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa’.