Yair Rodriguez's return to action will be delayed.
Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) confirmed that it was an injury that caused him to withdraw from his Noche UFC main event against Jean Silva (17-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) on Sept. 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. Stepping in for Rodriguez will be rising contender Jose Delgado (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC).
The former interim UFC featherweight champion took to Instagram to explain why he's unable to fight.
"I got injured. I tried to continue with my training, but in the end, I wasn't responsible enough to compete in these conditions. I wanted this fight and I know many of you did too. Now my job is to fully recover and come back prepared to compete at the level you expect from me and that I expect from myself.
Thanks to those who continue supporting me. See you soon."
Rodriguez hasn't competed since defeating Patricio Freire at UFC 314 in April 2025. The 33-year-old fought just once in 2024 and once in 2025.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Yair Rodriguez reveals injury forced him out of Noche UFC headliner
