UFC 188 results: Yair Rodriguez splits with Charles Rosa, then spits up in interview

Yair Rodriguez

MEXICO CITY – “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” winner Yair Rodriguez came out looking to put on a show against Charles Rosa, and definitely cut a few clips for his highlight video – and probably one for the blooper reel.

It was Rosa’s poise and experience that gave Rodriguez (5-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) a tough challenge over three rounds. Rosa (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) rallied in the final frame to make it a close one on the scorecards. But Rodriguez prevailed, and then he lost his lunch.

The featherweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC 188 event at Mexico City Arena in Mexico City. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and UFC Fight Pass.

The final scorecards were 29-28 twice for Rodriguez and 29-28 for Rosa. So exhausted was the Mexican fighter from the tough scrap that he vomited on himself during a post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

Rodriguez drew an early lead with a whirlwind of flashy kicks and leg attacks, forcing Rosa to look for the takedown. Once things hit the mate, however, the Mexican fighter showed himself a threat on the ground, locking in a triangle choke that directed Rosa’s focus toward defense for much of the opening frame.

As the fight went into the second round, altitude began to play a major factor. Rosa’s striking output dropped to almost to nil and he looked for takedowns, while Rodriguez attacked the legs and kept his opponent at bay. A sloppy takedown attempt led to an easy reversal for the “TUF” winner.

Rosa had better luck in the third round, winning the fight for takedowns and delivering ground and pound with mixed success. A cut opened from a Rodriguez spinning elbow bled generously.

Rodriguez, who beat Leonardo Morales to claim the “TUF” crown, now owns two wins in the UFC and officially graduates from the reality show while Rosa now stands at 1-2 after a submission win over Sean Soriano in his previous outing.

The win certainly was a relief for Rodriguez, but it came at a cost.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 188 results include:

• Yair Rodriguez def. Charles Rosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Tecia Torres def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Henry Cejudo def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Efrain Escudero def. Drew Dober via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:54
• Patrick Williams def. Alejandro Perez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:23
• Johnny Case def. Francisco Trevino via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Cathal Pendred def. Augusto Montano via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Gabriel Benitez def. Clay Collard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For complete coverage of UFC 188, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan contributed to this report on site in Mexico City.)