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Edgar
Picture credit: UFC

The UFC’s return to Dallas in May has been bolstered by a clash between Frankie Edgar and Yair Rodriguez.

The bout, which will almost certainly be on the UFC 211 main card sees two featherweight contenders collide, on what is an already stacked card, featuring two title fights.

Edgar (21-5-1) is a two-time UFC featherweight title contender and former UFC lightweight champion. He bounced back from his latest title fight setback against Jose Aldo with a unanimous decision victory over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 205 and will be looking to keep the momentum rolling on May 13.

Rodriguez (10-1) meanwhile is coming off of the biggest win of his career to date, a TKO victory over UFC legend BJ Penn in January. Edgar represents a significant step up in competition for the 24-year-old Mexican, though given that he has gone 6-0 in the UFC, it is perhaps deserved.

For Rodriguez, this fight represents the second successive opportunity he has to defeat a former UFC champion, and unlike the win over Penn, this would place him firmly within title contention. Given that featherweight champion Aldo defends his belt against Interim Champion Max Holloway less than a month later at UFC 212, the timelines could align, should Rodriguez manage to pull off what would likely be an upset over Edgar.

For New Jersey native Edgar, the path to the title is not so simple. Two losses to Aldo seemingly keep the 35-year-old out of the picture for the meanwhile. However, a loss here would probably see his title ambitions die, whilst a win, and a subsequent win for Holloway over Aldo, would keep his dreams alive.

Updated UFC 211 card:

UFC Heavyweight title: Stipe Miocic (c) vs. Junior Dos Santos

UFC Women’s Strawweight title: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (c) vs. Jessica Andrade

Featherweight: Frankie Edgar vs Yair Rodriguez

Welterweight: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Masvidal

Lightweight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier

Featherweight: Enrique Barzola vs. Gabriel Benitez

Flyweight: Henry Cejudo vs. Sergio Pettis

Middleweight: David Branch vs Krzysztof Jotko