Once Patricio Pitbull secured his PFL release and began UFC negotiations, the decorated Brazilian went right to work throwing a few early jabs at potential opponents like Yair Rodriguez.
In the end, Pitbull received everything he asked for outside of a UFC title shot, as he’s set to meet Rodriguez in his promotional debut at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami.
On Tuesday’s edition of “The Ariel Helwani Show,” the former two-division Bellator champion revealed the social media direct messages he sent to try to entice Rodriguez to accept a dance date.
“I heard you’re having second thoughts about fighting me on March 29th. I hope that’s not true. Show me that Mexican pride.”
Patricio Pitbull reveals the DM he sent Yair Rodriguez before their fight got booked. pic.twitter.com/2I9CriwK17
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 25, 2025
Pitbull: I heard you’re having second thoughts about fighting me on March 29th. I hope that’s not true. Show me that Mexican pride, tell the UFC it’s on
Rodriguez: I’ll love to welcome you to the UFC. Let’s make it happen.
Pitbull: I knew you were a warrior. See you soon
Pitbull: I was told the UFC has yet to receive your answer. Are we gonna fight or not?
Rodriguez: Why are you so desperate? 😂 UFC has my answer
Pitbull: Not desperate, I don’t play games. It’s either yes or no, and I always yes, no bulls***
Pitbull: Just got your answer. P****
Pitbull, 37, further claimed that the Rodriguez fight was initially offered to him for two weeks earlier at UFC Mexico City but declined it, which led them to their UFC 314 showdown.
“I’m very motivated. A lot of guys were turning me down,” Pitbull said Tuesday.
“There are some guys that actually called me out. Aside from them, everyone is running away. Kudos to those guys [who called me out]. Now I’m just excited to fight in the UFC and do what I do.”
Rodriguez, 32, enters his 11th year with the UFC in 2025. His journey to the Octagon is the polar opposite of Pitbull’s, as Rodriguez won his way through “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” as a young prospect.
Having grown up in the UFC, Rodriguez has had his fair share of intense matchups or rivalries. Speaking on Tuesday’s show, Rodriguez dismissed Pitbull’s private messages as something not worth his time.
“I think the guy was just really excited about fighting in the UFC,” Rodriguez said. “I think that probably the only way that he was going to make that happen was if I accept the fight.
“Whenever he [direct messaged] me, I say, ‘Yeah man, sure, let’s do it.’ And he was just trying to get me to react to him, but I’m over that f***ing s***, you know? I’m here to fight now. That, for me, is like a mad girlfriend movement. I don’t fall for that s*** that easily. We’re in the fighting business, and the UFC wanted this fight to happen. Why not? That’s it.”
UFC CEO Dana White was asked after UFC Seattle this past Saturday what it took to finalize Pitbull’s contract. “A phone call,” he responded, plain and simple. Pitbull made it clear in recent months that he wanted to fight for the global MMA leader to close out his illustrious career, regardless of what it took.
“It was a series of phone calls,” Pitbull said. “The moment we turned everything around was when they offered me a couple names — I said yes to [those names], but they said no to me.
“Twelve days before the UFC Seattle card [this past Saturday], they called asking if I would replace Edson Barboza [against Steve Garcia] and I said yes. Then they went to look at [my] visa and there wouldn’t be enough time [to get me to Seattle]. During this conversation, they asked if I would fight someone else on another date, and my management told them what I say every time he asks: ‘I’ll fight even the devil, just give me the date.’ That was what turned everything around, because we will fight under any condition. All those guys, they already said no. So after that they offered the Yair fight for a second time — he already said no before for another date. This time they offered for April 12 and now we’re here.”
Pitbull’s long-awaited arrival to the UFC opens the doors to several fresh featherweight matchups. The always-entertaining Rodriguez gets the opportunity to be the first to engage with the Bellator legend.
If Rodriguez wins, he won’t just add another big name to his résumé, the former UFC interim featherweight champion will also snap a two-fight losing skid. But unlike some of his fellow UFC veterans who’ve welcomed Bellator stars in the past, Rodriguez isn’t looking down on Pitbull or Bellator’s level of competition. He understands the enormity of moment for Pitbull and plans to spoil that party.
“I knew who he was,” Rodriguez said his reaction to the UFC’s offer. “I knew the toughness of the guy. He fought against Sergio Pettis, [Michael] Chandler. He has some other impressive fights on his record. I know he was a double champ [and] his legacy in Bellator and stuff like that. I’ve watched some of his fights, but he was never somebody that I thought I was going to fight.
“I think all of these guys fighting in the big leagues, they have the talent to be fighting or competing at the maximum level. Sometimes it’s just contracts, sometimes it’s opportunities, sometimes it’s many things. But I just think all of these guys are really dangerous and talented, and they just need an opportunity to prove it.”
